Bewitched
by Sombra112
Summary: You don't believe me? You don't believe in magic?" she asked. "There is no such thing." he said with absolute certainty. "Just fakes like you. You are no more real than that damn prophecy." You should be careful when speaking of prophacies"
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

It's me again!!! With another story that I wanted to write. And in this one, Inuyasha is indeed a half demon.

**Prologue**

Inuyasha grunted as a sword crashed hard onto his own. He pushed forward with all his weight and threw his attacker back. His opponent, a man with long black hair in a ponytail and brown eyes and a slight built that made him faster.

He let the momentum from Inuyasha's push wear out, then ran forward again attacking in his own style.

Inuyasha ducked under a sword swing and kicked him in the back sending him sprawling. Without hesitation, Inuyasha jumped onto his back and held his sword to his neck and shouted, "Dead!"

"Damn." Miroku went limp and Inuyasha climbed off of him in triumph.

"Ha ha! I truly am the best swordsman." He bragged to the empty training room.

"If I had my spear you wouldn't be so cocky." Miroku said standing up and whipping the dirt of his breeches.

"Be that as it may," Inuyasha said, "You do not, therefore, I'm the best!"

"Your highness." A calm serene voice interrupted. Inuyasha groaned knowing immediately who it was. "I feel precisely the same way about you, half demon." the voice said walking into the training ring from the shadows.

She had long black hair that she kept down and unadorned unlike most women. Her face was unpainted but her coloring was vibrant enough that she didn't need it. Her eyes were brown and held secrets that man was never meant to know. Her skin was unblemished and ivory colored. Normal women wore bright colors or some thing eye catching. Her clothing was simple and dull. A long brown skirt, a white shirt with loose sleeves and a brown vest with the royal seal on the right shoulder. Every one who worked in the palace had the seal some where on their person.

"What do you want, witch?" Inuyasha asked his voice filled with disdain.

"I want nothing from you, half demon." She said dismissing him. "Your highness," She turned to Miroku who got to his feet. "Your father wishes to see you in the throne room."

"Thanks, Kagome." Miroku said. She bowed her head to him as he walked out.

"Half demon," She turned to Inuyasha who was putting his tunic back on, it also had the royal seal on the shoulder. "What do you want?" he asked re-sheathing his sword.

"Just a quick question." she said walking to him on the platform.

"Oh?"

"Yes. I merely wish to know what it is you despise about me?" She smiled at him with that smile that held more secrets than her eyes.

"Despise?" he asked smiling back, the smile completely fake.

"Could it be me myself? Or maybe, more likely, my profession?"

"Yup, you caught me." he held up his hands palms out. "I got this thing against con artists. Damn, how did you know?" His smile and hands dropped and he rolled his eyes.

"Con artists?"

"Yeah, con artists. You know, those fakes who tell lies for money or fame? Kind of like...oh, um....you!"

"You don't believe me? You don't believe in magic?" she asked her hands clasped in front of her, her serene face never fading.

"There is no such thing." he said with absolute certainty. "Just fakes like you who tell lies to get jobs at the palace so they will payed for doing nothing." his face showed contempt and dislike for the women in front of him.

Kagome did a quick survey of him. Long silver hair, golden, heated eyes, a strong face and stronger body. Cocky, arrogant, yet still cares though refuses to show it.

"You are no more real than that damn prophecy." he waved his hand at the wall with the ancient writing off to his side. Kagome spared it a cursory glance but turned back to Inuyasha quickly.

"You should be careful when speaking of prophacies, they have this tendancy of coming true." she told him.

Inuyasha scoffed. "That thing was made up by your kind."

"A witch?"

"A con artist. Some one who wanted money and fame and was willing to lie and cheat to get it. And whoever it is, got it. Those words have been there since the palace was built ages ago. No one can even read them any more."

Kagome smiled at him then walked to the words.

"_The heavenly kingdom will one day die_

_it's buildings will crumple, it's people will fall_

_Blood red smoke to fill the sky. _

_There is no hope, the land will be lost;_

_But where the armies will fail,_

_killed by demons of legend,_

_No longer a child's tale_

_There will be four_

_The Monk who is not_

_The Power of nature_

_The Slayer almost forgot_

_And the most powerful of all_

_From alone to a team_

_From hatred to love_

_These will rein supreme_

_But they make it together, or not at all._

_And for it to succeed they all must_

_Learn to love_

_Learn to trust_

_Or the heavenly kingdom, has no chance."_

Kagome turned back to him. "Every one knows it. Doesn't mean you can read it." Inuyasha pointed out.

Kagome chuckled low in her throat and approached him. "Careful Inuyasha." She whispered in his ear.

Inuyasha looked straight ahead as she leaned against him and said, "Prophecies also have a way of picking ones who don't want to be picked."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

Kagome laughed deep in her throat again, and spoke, her voice husky and slightly seductive, "Witches don't make prophecies, the spirits of the earth do. They merely tell us and one told me only this morning, 'Be prepared, the time is coming. None will be spared, only the four.'" She backed up, smiled at him, and left him alone.

"Stupid witch." Inuyasha said with her gone, he didn't want to admit how her voice, there at the end, sounded nothing like her, or how he felt power coming from her. He denied her very existence, he always had, it was just a trick, like every thing else she did. He didn't notice how his hands were shaking, nor how the words, having always been etched into the stone wall, started glowing as he followed her out.

* * *

"If we raise these taxes then, your majesty, we can have the...."

"Absolutely not." The king interrupted.

Miroku tried not to sigh. Council sessions always bored him, though he was very good at looking interested.

The man stuttered, surprised at being interrupted. This was not natural behavior for kings. They did not just dismiss notions to raise taxes, and as a builder of fine buildings, the man would know.

"'Not', your majesty?" he asked as if to be sure he had head him right.

"This years crops were lean. We can still feed our country and have emergency, but we do not have the money to raise taxes." The king told him. "Your proposition is a fine one. An arena to test my warriors strengths would be marvelous, but not at the cost of my people." He waved his hand dismissing the man.

He stuttered for a minute, but he rolled up his blue prints, bowed and left.

"Father," Miroku leaned over to him and whispered, "We have not had any kind of lean winter since the founding of this kingdom."

The king smiled and whispered back, "Yes but he doesn't know that. Do you really want that monstrosity on our land?"

Miroku smiled and sat back in his chair as the next man stepped forward.

"And what is it you need, um....?" the king asked kindly.

"Uh...Serevat, my Lord." he told him nervously.

Kagome entered the room, Inuyasha a step behind her.

"Council recognizes Grand Healer Kagome, and Captain Inuyasha." the stuffy chronicler said interrupting Serevat.

They both bowed to the king. He nodded and they rose.

"Great King," Kagome spoke, stepping forward. "Forgive our lateness, we had a matter of importance to attend to."

The king raised his eyebrow knowing very well they had probably been fighting again. "Of course, Healer." he said formally. Honestly the two were his great friends, though this was public, the king had no friends, only loyal servants and people. "Please, take your positions."

They bowed their heads and walked onto the raised dais on which the royal family sat. Miroku, on his father's right hand, looking much more formal than he had before, wearing a satin tunic and black breeches and the gold coronet.

His father was robed much the same, though his chest was decorated with medals and he wore a grand cape, merely for show, and a set of the royal jewels. Not the real ones of course.

His wife, a beautiful women with bright golden hair and gray eyes, sat on his left. She was revered as the most lovely woman in the land. Her dress was long and a pale pink. There was no adornment on it, a simple circled neck and long flowing sleeves. Her golden hair was curled in the latest fashion, that she herself had set, and matching jewels of the king's sat on her head.

On her left was Kia, Miroku's little sister. Her hair was gold like her mother's but her eyes were her father's. She looked dignified and excited. She was gripping the arms of her tiny throne as if she was playing a great game. She was only 5, but she was still required to attend the council.

Inuyasha leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Guess what I got you?" he asked his eyes playful. Kagome watched amazed, how he was so nice around children, but rude around everyone else was a surprise to her. "I got you a doll."

She gasped in happiness and smiled, it was radiant. "Is it pretty?" She asked just as quietly as him.

"Of course. But it could never compare to your beauty." He scrunched his nose at her as no one could see, then took his place between the king and queen.

"Flirting with my daughter again, Inuyasha?" the king asked.

"I must admit your majesty," Inuyasha responded as Kagome stood beside Kia. "She has stolen my heart. I fear I am in love with her."

The king chuckled. It was not a bad thing to have the man in charge of your protection, not only loyal, but fiercely devoted to your daughter.

Kagome sat next to Kia on the cushion next to her throne. Inuyasha was the only one allowed to stand on the throne when their majesties were seated and that was only because he was in charge of their safety.

"Have you been studying hard, Kia?" Kagome asked.

The girl nodded. "Real hard, just as you told me." Kagome smiled at her.

It was no coincidence that she was seated there. Should anything happen, not that anything did in their kingdom, she was charged with getting the princess to safety through a door off to their side.

"Please, continue, Serevat." The king prompted.

"Uh....Yes...er...Your majesty." He bowed again. His hands moved nervously on his hat that he had removed and held in front of him like a shield. "It is...uh...not important your majesty, and I could understand if you said no but...."

"Please, don't be nervous." The queen said smiling at him kindly. "What ever it is, we shall help you the best we can."

He nodded and cleared his throat. It was probably not a big problem. Nothing bad ever happened in the Great Kingdom. A kingdom older and more powerful and prosperous than any of it's allies. The kingdom had no enemies that it knew of, it was polite and kind to all of the kingdoms on the continent.

Besides that, there was a magic barrier surrounding the kingdom, it kept out anyone who meant the kingdom ill.

As far as the public knew, Kagome was just a palace healer. But her true job, known only to the king and queen, was to keep the barrier up and strong.

"Well, I am a farmer, your majesties. But, this year I need food for my family."

The king blinked in surprise. Maybe he had jinxed something by saying what he did to the builder. "Why do you need food, was your crop infested by parasites?" he asked confused. It had never happened before, nor had weeds, or bugs, or anything else ever eaten an entire family's crop before.

"Uh...no, My Lord. 'Twas bandits. They set the fields afire."

The king and queen snapped to attention. They looked at each other, shocked and disbelieving.

"Bandits?" The queen asked. "Can you be sure?"

"Yes, my lady." he said. "I saw them set the fires with my own eyes, after they beat me and my family and robbed us blind."

"Do you live in the border?" The king asked, his features worried now.

Serevat nodded, "No, only a two day trip away from the palace, my king. I don't even live close to it."

Miroku looked at his parents obvious shock, and didn't know what the problem was. He was only told of the barrier when he became king, so he had no clue of it's existence. Noticing that his father was not going to do it, he said to the farmer, "We will open the emergency stores for you, citizen."

The king and queen looked at him as he spoke. "We will give you enough food to last your family through the winter until you can replant next year."

"Thank you, your highness." Serevat bowed and his face cleared as a burden was lifted from his shoulder.

"Tell this man what you need." Miroku summoned a servant with a clipboard forward.

Serevat bowed formally, and left with the man.

"Council is closed." the king said before another man could step forward. "Please return tomorrow."

The people bowed and left not noticing their king's obvious distress.

"Father?" Miroku asked.

"Your majesty, what's wrong?" Inuyasha asked.

He waved off their questions, his face down thinking hard. "Every one leave." He ordered.

The council, confused, bowed and left.

"Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku you stay."

A nurse came in and took Kia by the hand. "What would you like to do today, your highness?" She asked kindly escorting her out of the room.

The door shut before she could answer and the five were left inside.

"Mother, Father, what's wrong?" Miroku asked getting up.

The king ignored him and turned to Kagome who had stood and was pondering just as hard. "Kagome?" he asked.

"I preformed the ritual, your majesty." she assured him. "Every month, at the same time, as always. It shouldn't have let them in."

"Then why were they here?" he asked.

"Uh...Your, Majesty?" Inuyasha asked. "What is she talking about?"

"The barrier." he answered immediatly. "She is responsible for it's keeping."

"Barri...." His eyes widened. "The rumors were true?" He asked. "There really is a barrier around this kingdom."

"Of course there is." The king said looking at him like he was stupid. "Have you ever noticed that we never needed the royal guard?"

Miroku was speechless. "Why was I not informed?" He finally asked.

"Your were not supposed to know." The queen said her eyes dark as she regarded Kagome. "Check the barrier, now."

"It is not that simple." Kagome said.

"Make it that simple." she ordered.

"Tapping into the barriers power without preparation will kill me." Kagome told her. "I need to prepare."

"Fine." The king interupted before his queen could speek again. "Just get it done, fast."

Kagome bowed, and ran out of the room.

Inuyasha scoffed, "You know she's going to run, don't you?"

The king looked at him curiously.

"Con men always run when their con has been revealed. I'll get the guard to stop her."

"Don't." the king held up his hand. "If she doesn't return we will know what the problem was and we can fix it easily. Just get a new witch."

"A new con artists." Inuyasha said under his breath. The royal family pretended not to hear him.

They waited in silence, the minutes dragging on.

Finally Inuyasha sighed. "I told you she would run."

"Did you now?" Kagome asked re-entering the room.

"Trying to keep up the charade?" Inuyasha asked in a false kind voice.

She didn't answer him. She set a basket at her feet and opened it up. She had changed her clothing and now wore a simple sleeping robe, easily removable by the string around her waist. Her feet were bare and she wore nothing else.

Without talking to the family, she set eight candles in a large five foot circle. One at each of the four directions, north, south, east, and west, and four more in between each. She didn't light them though. She grabbed a bag of sand and made a circle around the candles. Inuyasha was surprised to see it was a perfect circle. Lastly, she placed a deep clay bowl in the center then filled it with clear water.

"Shut all the doors and extenguish the lights." she told them, now lighting the candles.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes but obeyed. As Kagome lit the candles, she stayed on the outside of the circle.

He returned to their majesties sides.

"Are you ready now?" The queen asked.

The room was plunged into darkness and all you could see were the tiny lights casting shadows on every one's faces.

"Yes." Kagome stared at the bowl of water. "Please, do not attempt to talk to me, nor break the circle." Kagome told them.

"Break the circle?" Inuyasha asked.

"Enter the circle." Kagome clarified.

Inuyasha made an 'O' shape with his mouth then his jaw dropped as Kagome untied her robe and let it drop to the floor.

"Shit." he said covering his eyes.

"I cannot do it with clothes on." Kagome said completely oblivious to her own nakedness.

Inuyasha peeked at her, determined to only see her face, but the candles kept her body mostly in shadows.

Without another word, she took a step into the circle and Inuyasha tried not to look as her body was temporarily revealed than just as quickly robed in darkness. He didn't succeed, and she had a great body.

Miroku, usually one who would love to see a women walk about naked in front of him, was completely focused and not on her body.

Her feet padded quietly on the floor as she stopped in front of the bowl.

She started mumbling so no one could hear. The water in the bowl started sloshing as if an invisible wind made waves in it.

Kagome mumbled something in a much stronger voice and the water exploded from the bowl. But it didn't fly off every where. It exploded in a perfect half circle and made something resembling a barrier where the sand stopped. And thought it passed through Kagome, she was dry, and it went over the candles, yet the fire burned strong.

She turned in circles, her eyes far away, and Inuyasha knew she wasn't seeing the throne room through a bubble of water.

Suddenly what she did was so real to him. The water moved in it's perfect half circle and shimmered as if it were a living thing, and Kagome was keeping it up. In an instant his entire belief changed.

"She's a witch." he said to himself.

"What is that?" Kagome asked, obviously to herself.

Inuyasha looked where her gaze had traveled with everyone else. The circle wasn't as perfect as he had thought. There was a slightly ridged hole no bigger than his fist at the southeast side. The edges of the hole was red and glowed like an ember and the space between it and the floor was pitch black.

"What...." Kagome reached out to touch it with her finger.

"Don't!" Inuyasha yelled suddenly having a terrible feeling. But she didn't hear him.

She touched the black space.

She screamed.

She clasped her head, not ending her terrible wail.

She backed away from the blackness, still screaming.

Inuyasha ran forward into the water despite her earlier warning. It was like being stopped by a brick.

Her body started writhing in pain.

With a scream of his own, he drew his sword and made a swift cut through the water.

The scratch hung there for a second and at first Inuyasha thought nothing would happen, but then the water fell with a crash to the tile below extinguishing the candles.

Kagome gasped, her eyes wide with fear. Inuyasha watched a tear fall down her cheek before she collapsed to the ground.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Reviews please, I do so love them.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

Wow....cool....nice reviews....0.0...I can't believe, I have a stalker now! YAAY! I have a stalker now! SCORE! *Says in sing-song voice* I have a stalker, stalker, stalker, stalker.

**Chapter 1**

**Two Years Later**

Inuyasha sorted through papers, checking reports and rechecking them. Trying to tell which problems needed his immediate attention and which could be put off a little longer. They all seemed so important though.

Bandit raids in the north.

Mysterious fires starting in the night and destroying everything in the west.

Murders in the city.

Thieves, con men, demons who actually meant the kingdom harm.

Ever since that day....

No! He wouldn't think about it again. Every time he did he forgot what he was doing.

But it seemed the weight of the world lay on his soul ever since that day. Problems, deaths, crime, things the kingdom had never seen before were suddenly common place.

"Inuyasha."

Inuyasha stood as the king entered. His face had lines that had never been there before, his hair was graying, and his eyes had lost the sparkle of laughter that they used to hold. His face, normally grim lately, was even darker now.

"Your majesty?" he replied.

"She has awoken." was all he said. And it was all he needed to say. Inuyasha practically ran out of his office and through the palace to the room where they had kept her these past two years.

After she had collapsed, the water that fell with her wrapped her in a spherical cocoon where she has lain since then. Her hair and nails still grew and her face had matured some, but she never ate, she never breathed, she never moved.

They ran into the chamber that was alight with candles where she floated in her unbreakable bubble.

Inuyasha gasped as those all too familiar brown eyes landed on him immediately. Her chest still did not move with breath, she didn't once blink, and her hair floated around her naked body as if she did lay in water.

She looked as if she sat on her knees with her legs crossed just right to hide her most private part with her arms covering her upper half.

Inuyasha walked in front of her and kept his eyes carefully on her face.

Her mouth started moving but he heard nothing besides the king's breathing behind him.

"I can't hear you!" He said in a slightly raised voice.

But her lips didn't stop moving.

Inuyasha's sword, the very sword he had pierced the barrier with, started pulsing at his side. He felt it as if it were his own heartbeat. He looked down in shock, then looked back at Kagome. She was pointing at his sword, her mouth still shaping words he could not hear.

But without being told, his body seemed to know what to do.

He unsheathed his sword with his eyes locked on hers.

She nodded, ever so slightly.

"Inu..." the king started, but Inuyasha sliced through the bubble causing it to burst in a very familiar way.

She fell to the floor in a heap with the gel like substance from inside the bubble oozing down her body.

"Kagome!" they both rushed forward. Her hair, slicked down now, covered her body.

She coughed as air hit her lungs for the first time in a while.

"Kagome..." Inuyasha said softly hitting her back gently.

"Something.....is......wrong...." she sputtered out.

The king met Inuyasha's eyes over her body.

"Woh!" Inuyasha said as she slipped into unconsciousness again.

* * *

The royal family and Inuyasha waited, impatiently, outside of the chamber Kagome was currently making use of. A palace doctor had washed her up and worked on a night shift and put her to bed. They were checking her over, making sure she was healthy.

But so far there seemed to be nothing wrong with her. She wasn't malnourished nor dehydrated. They clipped her nails and cut her hair back to it's normal length.

Inuyasha was pacing wondering at his actions. His sword was re-sheathed and placed on the table as if he was afraid to pick it up. Every now and then he would cast a glance at it but he never stopped his pacing.

The queen was on the small couch with Miroku next to her. Miroku's boy like face had hardened through the years as he had trained in the royal guard and even helped with the city patrols. The king stood behind his queen with his hand on her shoulder as they waited anxiously for the word.

The doors to the inner chamber opened and the little nurse popped her head out.

"She's up." she said her voice as tiny as she was.

Everyone stood up and started toward the door.

"Uh...she just wants to speak with you, Master Takahashi." she said stopping them all again.

They all looked at Inuyasha.

"Just me?" he asked. She nodded and opened the door for him.

He walked forward and entered the darkened room. The nurse shut the door leaving him alone with her.

The drapes had been closed and the only light was the was the candle on the nightstand. She wasn't even looking at him, she was gazing at the drapes sitting up in bed.

"They said after being so long in the dark it would be bad to put me into direct sunlight." she turned and faced him and her eyes were just like he remembered them. Filled with secrets and darker than the deepest ocean.

A thousand questions ran through his brain and he couldn't seem to find one to ask. "What happened?" he finally asked.

"You broke the circle." she said. "I told you not to and yet you did."

Her statement, made with no infliction and no accusation, still made him defensive. "You were screaming bloody murder, what was I supposed to do?"

"Leave me alone." she told him. "You broke the barrier, and so doing disrupted the magic flow in this kingdom." She turned back to the drapes. "The backlash caught me and sent me into a void."

"I had no choice. I did what I thought was right." Inuyasha said trying to justify his actions.

"I know." she said. "You knew nothing of magic, all you knew and still all you know is the sword at your side."

There was silence for a while as he thought her words through. Finally he said, in a much calmer voice, "How did you wake up."

Kagome looked at him. "The spirits of the earth brought me back. They said it was not my destiny to sleep any longer. This kingdom is on the verge of a braking point. There are dangerous things coming and I am needed awake."

"What?" Inuyasha asked.

"Murders and rapists and con artists, the real kind," she smiled at him thinking of the joke that was so fresh in her memory but so faded in his. "they have all been drawn by the twisted magic here, and there is another. One whose greed surpasses anything the earth has seen before. His hunger for power is about to drive him over the edge."

From the distance Inuyasha heard the unmistakable sound of cannon fire.

"He comes with an army of dark mages." Kagome said completely calm. "They bring a storm to this land, not just rain and lightning, but blood and fury. There is no hope for any one else, only a few will survive the slaughter that is to come."

Another shot then screams and then gun fire.

"He comes. He comes now."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

sorry for the wait but I'm done. Enjoy the chapter and it is time for me to sleep.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

hey

**Chapter 2**

Inuyasha ran out of Kagome's room and into the antechamber where the royal family was on their feet looking around in fear.

"Sir!" Two of his soilders ran in.

"You, go gather the troops! Launch an immediate counter attack! You, find the princess Kia! Now!" Inuyasha ordered grabbing his sword off the table and securing it to his waist.

"Sir!" They saluted him and ran out again.

"Your Majesties....?"

"Our life is your your hands." The queen said. "You order us as you see fit, we will listen."

Inuyasha nodded.

Kagome walked slowly out of her room as if a loud battle was not going on right outside. Thunder clapped outside followed by a bright flash of lightning. The window shattered and rain and wind started pouring into the room extinguishing the fire in seconds.

Kagome made a face of disgust. "Blood magic." she said looking at the dark purple sky which had been bright blue only minutes before.

"Mama!" Kia and her nursemaid came running in with the soldier Inuyasha sent to fetch them.

"Sweet heart!" Her mama knelt and gathered her trembling daughter into her arms. In her arms was the doll Inuyasha had gotten for her two years ago.

"Kagome, can you get them out of here?" Inuyasha asked.

"Clear me a path and I shall lead them away." Kagome answered calmly.

Inuyasha nodded and turned to the soldier still awaiting instructions. "With me! Help me make a path for them."

The soldier nodded and they both ran out of the room, swords drawn.

"Please, with me." Kagome said to the family before running after them. The hallway was clear and Kagome looked both ways before deciding. "This way!" and they ran left.

* * *

Inuyasha left his charges and turned right and ran with his man at his heels. Two corridors down he found the first enemy soldiers.

Six of them, looting a guest room.

Inuyasha ran among them with a yell and took down two with a single sword swipe. Without pause he turned and stabbed the one at his back. He kicked the body of his blade and used the force to elbow the man coming up behind him. He dropped to his feet gasping in pain. In a smooth motion, Inuyasha brought his sword down on his neck. The last two were victims to his claws.

His solier ran down the hallway with blood on his face and tunic. "Sir, they made it inside the castle."

"I noticed! What are our numbers?"

"They out number us at least 3 to 1, Sir! Half of them are mages and our men are falling quickly, sir!" he gasped

"Where are they coming from?"

"It seems all sides, captain!" Another man ran up his left arm in shreds but his blade bloody. "I just came from the back, sir, and they are rolling over us there. Fitz from up front reported that their tearing through the city!"

"Then what are you doing here! Go fight back!"

"Aye, captain!" They both yelled and ran further down the corridor.

Inuyasha heard noises from below him.

"Aaaarrrrrggggghhhhh!" He yelled and brought his fist down hard on the stone below him. With his super hearing he was able to make out the sound of two of his knuckles cracking along with the stone and wood of the floor.

It fell straight down on top of at least ten men, 4 of which had the look of mages.

Three of his soldiers, two of which were female, were fighting back to back against over ten more.

Without a word, he ran among them and took out three as his men started fighting with more vigor.

Inuyasha took down one with his broken hand and he felt the bones move in an unnatural way but ignored the blinding pain it brought.

From behind him one raised his sword. Inuyasha was about to lift his own to fight back when an arrow pierced his back. 5 more of his joined the battle and it was over quickly.

3 of his were dead and one couldn't move their legs. His hand was throbbing in time with his accelerated heart beat and he had a deep gash on his shoulder which burned like fire.

"Anyone know where we stand?" he asked whipping blood from his lip.

"The city is on fire, sir." the women who shot the arrow answered panting. "The people are being slaughtered."

"Go!" he said and they ran off again. The one who couldn't move his legs grabbed his bow and arrows.

"I got this hall, captain!" He said notching the arrow.

Inuyasha nodded knowing there was nothing he could do for him and ran in the opposite direction.

* * *

"Hurry!" Kagome yelled leading the family down the servants stairs.

Kia whimpered in distress and buried her face in her father's shoulder as they passed two maids with arrows in their backs.

Kagome suddenly stopped dead as she saw two enemies, one a mage, standing on the stairs.

The mage grinned as he saw her magic. "Mine!" He said and readied a blast of magic power.

Kagome threw up her hands and made a quick but powerful barrier around herself and the family. They all flinched as the power shattered on her shield.

Kagome cursed herself for not putting up an absorption barrier to take the energy into herself instead of just breaking it.

With a yell, she pushed the barrier forward and made it slam into her opponents like a brick wall. They both fell down dead.

"Come on!" she yelled and ran past the bodies. She heard them follow her.

"Through the kitchen!" Kagome said taking them through the abandoned room and out into the courtyard.

Kagome stopped dead and held out her hands to stop the family too as she saw the fighting. Bodies littered the ground, mostly theirs, as swords and spears clashed.

"Even here?" the queen gasped in terror.

A soldier saw them and ran towards them with a sick grin.

* * *

Inuyasha took down another mage and pivoted just in time to keep a sword from piercing his side.

His skin was stained red as was his sword which sang through the air as he brought it down on the shoulder of the man. His right hand was broken but it was the only hand he could handle his sword with as his left arm had been broken by the mages blast when he sent him flying. He had a scratch on his forehead which was bleeding into his eye obscuring his vision. His muscles quivered in exhaustion but still he fought on.

He only saw two more of his men, both of which were badly injured. They had both died in the last battle he fought.

He leaned against the wall and whipped the blood from his eyes and wondered what had happened to them. He had realized about an hour ago that he had lost them and had been searching fruitlessly since then.

He looked up at a cackle and saw a female mage smiling at his her hands raised glowing sickly red with power.

"Shit." He said running forward to try and stop her.

* * *

Kagome pulled back her hands again as if she held a bow and released a pink bolt of energy into the crowd of fighting men.

As if it had life of it's own, the bolt passed through the chests of enemy soldiers in zig-zaged lines finally fading out six men later.

Kagome clutched her side which had been hit by an arrow and was bleeding profusely.

The king and Miroku were at her sides trying to keep enemies away from her and they stood in a protective half circle around the queen and her daughter who were cowering against a wall.

It was mostly mages attacking them now since they found out Kagome was a witch. Her natural power would be a great boost to the power they had stolen from the lives of others.

Kagome panted but threw up another barrier as they threw their power at her _en masse_. She dropped to her knees as their collective powers overwhelmed her tired body. The barrier started shacking with her and finally shattered throwing every one around it back. Kagome and the royal family hit the wall hard and the mages fighting them flew backwards.

Kagome gasped in pain as stars erupted in front of her eyes.

The mages recovered first and made their way towards her, most limping from the backlash of her power breaking.

She struggled to throw up another barrier not knowing the force of the blow had already stopped the king's heart.

The glass window two stories above her head shattered and Inuyasha flew out of it with a blast of sickly red power.

He landed hard in front of her. He felt some thing inside him tear with the landing not to mention one of his legs breaking from impact.

A large shard of the glass pierced the queen in the back as it rained down and she tried to shelter her child under her. She let out a final scream of pain before her body dropped to the ground.

Limp.

Dead.

"Mama!" Kia called trying to shake her awake getting blood on her tiny hands.

A mage shouted in happiness and through up his hands.

"No!" Kagome shouted with a cracking voice as it went over her and Inuyasha's bodies and hit the tiny princess.

She fell next to her mother and didn't move.

"KIA!" Miroku yelled one his legs also broken.

Inuyasha grunted in pain as he tried to stand.

Kagome heard all too familiar whispering around her and felt a huge boost in her power.

But no matter that it was a tremendous amount of power, it was just enough to transport her and Inuyasha and Miroku away from this place.

She cried out in pain as the magic rushed through her veins and into the world. It was not her magic, it was not her spell. The spirits of the earth guided the spell and used her as a focal point in the physical realm.

Suddenly they were gone and the mages hollered in disappointment as the only thing left was the bodies of the royal family of a kingdom once ruled by peace, where nothing bad ever happened.

A dark figure walked through the blood and gore as if taking a stroll in a garden. The screams of pain and sorrow along with the cracking of the destructive flames was music to his ears. He felt great pleasure seeing the dead royals and the destroyed palace. This land was his now, and he would use it to conquer the lands around it.

He would finally get what he always deserved, what was rightfully his.

But as he inspected the bodies, he found one missing. The crown prince was not among the dead. Nor was the captain of the guard or the witch who lived at the palace.

He grimaced when he heard how they had vanished, but thought nothing of it. They were nearly dead, there was nothing they could do.

He walked through the crumbled palace walls, never noticing how one stone wall refused to be chipped or marred in any way, nor how it pulsed with power.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Reviews please. I am very sad right now because me supposed ex-best friend and the guy I like are kissing now and prom, which otherwise was great, sucked because I had to watch them all night. Please give me good reviews, they make me so happy.


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

wuts up?

**Chapter 3**

**Ten Years Later**

A woman walked down the filthy streets. Her brown dress that was too big for her hung off her frame and was secured to her thin waist by a strip of ragged rope. Her feet were bare and callused and filthy. She was filthy. Her clothes were only brown from the years of stains and wear she had put on them. Her head was covered by the hooded cloak she wore to hide her face.

It was the dark of night but it was far from quiet. Two men were staggering down the street supporting each other singing in drunken joy. Two prostitutes were standing on the corner showing off their wares to the best advantage and calling out to passing men. Guards roamed the cobble stone road with well used swords drawn, looking, hoping, for any trouble.

_Bullies the lot of them._The woman scoffed to herself drawing her ragged cloak tighter about her person trying in vain to keep off the night cold.

The tavern she was traveling to get to was one deep in the wretches of the terrible city. Once known for it's greatness and prosperity, for the last ten years it had been the capitol city of the most war mongering kingdom in the continent.

Spiara.

A terrible place where the dregs of the world gathered and hunted each other.

Where she was going however, was the one bright spot that was more dirty and abandoned than any. She walked in and only two tables were occupied. Both by men on their own drinking out of a filthy tankard. The man behind the bar, an old man who looked anything but frail, was wipping the scared counter with a black rag with holes all through it.

"What do you want?" he snarled. No one was kind here anymore.

"I'll have the special." She said looking at him dead in the eyes leaning against the bar.

"Beans and rice?" He said back looking at her just as seriously.

"Steak and potatoes." she said delivering the final phrase of the password.

"Right this way." He said nodding to her and then to the men behind her.

"They your dogs too?" she asked him when he took her into the back room.

"Guards to keep away the guards." he told her knocking on a seemingly silent piece of wall.

The pattern was one only he had memorized and was too long for anyone else to.

No sooner had he finished than the wall opened and a big muscular man stood there.

"State your business." He asked her rudely.

"I've come to join the resistance." she told him.

His eyes flickered to the old man's, who nodded, before returning to her. "Show me your face." he ordered.

She reached up and threw back her hood. Her brown hair, pulled back at the top of her head, spilled out. Her eyes were dark chocolate and held pain and confidence. She had a scar over her left eye and a hardened look about her face.

"Who gave you that?" The guard asked pointing at her scar with his chin.

"A guard." She told him then smiled without humor. "He paid for it dearly."

The man smiled. "What's your name, woman?"

"They call me Sango the Demon Slayer."

"Demon Slayer." he repeated her name as if in reverence. She was a well known figure in the resistance having gotten her name from slaying so many of the emperor's Demon Guard.

"Come in. The captain would speak with you first." he moved back. He nodded to the old man once before re-shuting the wall and turning to lead her down the steps.

"How did you find us?" he asked going down the circular staircase.

"Wasn't easy, if it makes any difference." She said catching a hint of unhappiness in his voice. "I've been hunting you down for almost a year. Wanted to join for at least two."

The man smiled. "Name's Jenji. Pure muscle, baby." He flexed bringing a slight chuckle from Sango. "Big fan of yours, actually."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Your a huge inspiration." he told her winking.

"Thanks." she said as they came out on a landing.

Here a women with harder looks than Sango and a perpetual frown on her face said gruffly. "Hold out your arms, feet spread."

Sango raised an eyebrow but complied.

"Sorry." Jenji said not sounding sorry at all. "Rules. We don't search you, the captain would have our heads."

"Nice rules." Sango said as the woman patted her down. "But I didn't bring any weapons. Purely a social call." she promised.

"She's telling the truth." The woman said stopping.

"Great." Jenji smiled. "Take my spot, Kira."

Kira nodded and ran up the stairs.

"Come on, Slayer." He said leading her down the hall that branched into many different halls.

"Pretty extensive." she commented.

"We've grown quite a bit since the captain started us 9 years ago." he said proudly. "Used to be a single room with two members. The captain and his number two. Then as more people started joining we've had to expand the tunnel system." He turned right down another hall this one filled with doors and people moving down them. Many raised their hands to wave at Jenji and none looked twice at her. "Now we have tunnels all over the city with over 60 surface points."

"Nice." Sango said with approval. Apparently the rumors of the faction's power hadn't been exagerated. In fact, it looked as if it had been severely underestimated.

"Who is the captain?" she asked wondering about the man who was infamous in the palace halls identity.

"If he approves you and says you can join, he'll tell you." Jenji said turning again.

Sango chuckled. "So much security." She commented.

"Well we had to collapse a tunnel, one of the emperor's mages found recently. That kind of thing always puts us on edge." Jenji explained as two well armed men passed them, eyeing her.

Sango didn't remark and neither of them spoke again until they made it to a final door, the only one with a lock.

Jenji knocked twice, paused, then knocked once more.

"Enter." A male with a deep voice said.

Jenji opened the door and stepped aside to let Sango pass.

He was sitting at a desk scored with ink marks and crescent shaped scares right where his claws would pinch if he was being told really bad news. He had silver hair, longer than hers, braided down his back and two dogs ears that twitched with a life of their own. He was writing some thing and payed no apparent attention to her. His eyes were golden and he had a scar much like hers over his right eye but it was much longer and traveled down to his temple.

She waited patiently for that clawed hand to stop writting before she tried to speak.

But when he finally pushed the paper away and looked at her, no sooner than she opened her mouth did he interrupt her. "We've been waiting for you, Sango."

Her eyebrows raised. "Impressive." She said not really impressed. "Have a messenger run to you the second you learned my name so you could try to intimidate me?"

"No." He said smiling, like her, without humor. "We've been expecting you. You didn't think you happened upon our password by chance did you?" He asked a knowing look in his eyes.

Her eyes went wide with real surprise this time. "We've been keeping tabs on you for a while now. What took you so long once the password was," He grinned cockily, "'slipped' to you?"

"Had to make sure the info was real." She said, numb.

He nodded in understanding.

"Jenji? Why are you here?" He asked turning his attention away from her.

"Had to guide her here, boss." he said.

"Which Kira could have done easily, especially since your job is to keep watch on the door today." He said without missing a beat.

Jenji rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Return to your post." he said firmly.

"Yes, boss." Jenji said loyally and left.

"So you know my name," Sango said having gotten her composure back."but I still don't know yours."

"Inuyasha." he said with his cocky grin. "Former captain of the Great King's Guard."

"Really?" Sango's eyebrows raised in shock again. "I heard that the entire palace was killed during the Revolution."

"All but three." he said getting up and walking around his desk to get to her.

"And who are the other two?" She asked.

"Captain!" A little boy ran in a stack of papers in his hand. "Here's today's reports from west side." he said holding the papers up to him.

"Thanks, Shippo." Inuyasha said taking the papers and giving the top one a quick once over.

"Who are you?" Shippo asked Sango.

"Our newest recruit." Inuyasha said placing the papers on his desk.

"I'm in?" Sango asked with a smile.

"I wouldn't have given you the password had you not already been accepted." Inuyasha told her reaching behind his desk and grabbing a small box off the top. "This is your badge." he gave it to her.

"Badge?" she asked.

"You're the Captain's new trainer." Shippo said hopping up on his desk. Sango gave him a once over. A small fox kit with a very bushy tail and innocent eyes despite the world he lived in.

"And who are you?" She asked him.

"I'm the captain's number two!" He said proudly.

"And this is a symbol of my rank?" She asked Inuyasha.

"I already told my men you would be here soon. You're to take over the training for the new recruits." he told her handing her two sheets of paper. One was a map of a piece of the tunnel complex, specifically the one she was in at that moment, and the other was a schedule.

"Some one can show you around until you're familiar." he said.

"Wow." Sango said looking at her suddenly full hands. She had shown up expecting to be a surprise, a welcome one but certainly unexpected. Only to find out he had been prepared for her and had everything ready for her arrival.

Suddenly a different part of their conversation popped into her head. "You said two others escaped with you? Are they here too?" Anything to get her mind off the blank-ness it had been.

He suddenly looked sad. "No." He confessed. "I lost them when we escaped."

"How did you escape?" she asked.

"She saved us." He said looking at the ceiling his eyes lost in memory.

"She?"

"A witch. Kagome. I never found out what happened to her." he seemed very sad.

"And the other?" She asked.

Now he was full of regret. "I wanted to search for Kagome, but we don't have the man power. Only enough to search for him."

"Well why is he so much more important than her?" Sango asked.

"He's the peoples only hope now and a symbol for our future." he answered her looking at her with a dark look in his eyes. "He's the crown prince, now the king of the Great Kingdom."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The end.....JKJKJKJKJK!!!!!


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

sorry about the time jumps guys, it's needed to keep my story on track. I promise this will be the last one, okay! And it's a very small one. Hope you enjoy!!!! Oh and by the way. I know I made Jenji her lover and yes Miroku and her are going to get together. Just work with me for now and trust me, okay?

**Chapter 4**

**One Month Later**

"Move it! Run! Run! Run!!!" Sango yelled at her recruits. No longer was she dressed in rags and her slight frame had gotten larger, not only from the increased muscle weight she had been able to get, but also getting a descent meal every day had given her curves her bony figure had hidden.

The men she was training, geenhorns the lot of them, were running in circles in the largest room of the Complex. The training area. It was three stories deep with weapons hanging on one wall, all of them dull and most scratched for practice, and very expensive but very necessary mirrors lining the opposite walls.

Her patience was being tried today. This was another group of men, fresh caught, that thought that because she was a woman, a very nice looking women if the gossip she had heard was correct, she was easy and soft.

She was out to prove them otherwise.

"If I see any of you slacking I'll be after you with a whip!" she promised as she saw some of them starting to breath hard.

"Sango!" Jenji cried walking into the room with a confident gait. "Are you torturing our men again?" he asked with a smile.

Jenji had become her best friend, closest pupil, and lover.

Their relationship was strictly physical, something she made sure he knew and respected and that she wouldn't tolerate any show of affection outside of the bedchamber. Particularly in front of the men she was working had to make respect her.

So his greeting was strickly friendly. He knew the rules and kept to them dutifully. The one time he had not he had spent a week alone in his bed and had been put on his ass harder than normal at practice.

He had not broken the rules again.

"They were asking for it." She said bringing her voice down to where only he could hear her.

"Oh? Back talking?" he asked standing beside but slightly behind her. This was her area, she ruled here and he was always a rank below her.

"They seem to think I'm weak." Sango told him her fist on her hip watching the men run with careful eyes. "Ruber you better run faster or I'll make you!" she barked at the man last in line.

Ruber heard the threat but laughed it off with the others.

"See." Sango said picking up her whistle and giving a short sharp blast.

"Oh this is going to be good." Jenji said with glee as the men stopped running and lined up in front of her all of them panting.

Carefully and very slowly, she started at the end of the line and worked her way down, examining each man.

Cocky, confident, arrogant. Every now and then her reputation wasn't enough to get respect from those she trained. It was just her luck that men in front of her came from a small village in Corter, a place not known for females being equal.

To these men, these boys, she was just another girl who was given a shiny badge and a pat on the head to placate her.

She would show them otherwise.

"Ruber." she stopped in front of him. "Why did you not obey my command?" She asked her tone carefully neutral.

He and the men next to him laughed as if shearing a joke. "Well uh...ma'am," he made the name a joke, "I'm the kind of guy who likes to take things... slow. If you know what I mean." he said in a suggestive tone making the others laugh.

"Oh lord." Jenji said sympathetically.

Sango smiled with them. "Do you now, Ruber?" She asked. "Come over here for a second."

She walked to the center of the room and waiting for him to catch up as he was strutting.

"What's going on?" A girl said walking up to Jenji. She was only 15 but was the head of her class in fighting. In her hands was an envelope sealed with wax.

"Hey, Nami. Sango's about to punish some one." He smiled as if nothing could bring him more pleasure.

"Back talk?"

"Lack of respect. Got a message for her?" Jenji asked spotting the envelope in her hand.

"I'ts not urgent." Nami said watching the show with a smile. "It can wait."

"Yes, ma'am." Ruber said getting way into her personal space.

Sango let him and smiled seductively.

"You like to go slow, Ruber?" she asked leaning up against him.

"Oh yeah." He said smiling arrogantly.

"How slow?" she asked rubbing her body against his.

"Not too slow." he promised raising his hands to her waist.

"Tell me Ruber...."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Is this too fast for you?" and she grabbed his crotch and squeezed ever so slowly but painfully.

Ruber let out a girlie squeal and sank to his knees. Sango followed him slowly, putting on more pressure.

Jenji flinched in pain that wasn't his as Nami giggled silently behind her hand.

"Every one can be a threat, Ruber." she told him just loud enough for the others to hear. "You treat every one with caution and respect, "She tightened her grip violently, "especially if it is a woman, because the emperor's lap dogs are not going to play nice, they will not have some one to say 'ready, set, go!'. They will use treachery and spies because people like you will underestimate them."

She let go and he fell onto his side twitching.

She turned her gaze to the others who all flinched together.

"Now when I say run..." she said slowly. As one they all turned and ran as if the demons of hell were at their heals.

"Nami, what did you come here for?" Sango asked in a much kinder voice stepping over the quivering body of the man she had just tortured and humiliated.

"Oh umm...." Nami held out her hand. "Message from the captain."

"Thanks." Sango grabbed it and ripped it open while Nami and Jenji laughed at Ruber.

"What's up?" Jenji asked when Sango's face turned serious.

"Inuyasha says they found signs of Miroku. I'm being sent to investigate immediately."

"Woh, seriously." He looked over her shoulder.

"They found the king?" Nami asked excited.

"They found signs. And rumors." Jenji said astounded.

"This is great!" Nami screamed jumping a foot in the air.

"Yeah." Sango was numb with shock. Finding the missing prince now king was a major mission that took priority as the new kingdom would need a new king. But the mission had always turned up nothing, no sign, no rumor, most thought he was dead, others thought he fled to a neighboring country for safety.

"I should....I should go. Jenji take over." Sango ordered walking out of the room her eyes still glued to the letter.

* * *

"Is it true?" Was the first thing she asked upon entering Inuyasha's office.

"Yes." he said buckling his sword to his side. "I'm coming as well."

"This is real?" she asked amazed finally putting the letter she had read and re-read the entire walk over.

"Yes. We may have finally found our king." he smiled at her, the first genuine smile she had ever seen on his face.

"Where?" she demanded to know.

"Three miles outside the country in a Buddhist convent."

"A convent? Are you sure?" She asked.

"No. But that's why we need to go see. Get you things. Meet me at 0 point in an hour." he ordered referring to the bar directly upstairs.

"Yes, boss." she said with a smile and running out of the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

much love, from MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

woohoo. Sorry for the wait, my computer has been broken!!!:D

**Chapter 5**

Sango peered through the thick foliage of the tree she was sitting in. Directly below her, sitting in a meditative position, was the man they thought was the new king. His eyes were closed, his face peaceful.

"_Is that him?"_Sango asked Inuyasha using hand signs.

He nodded smiling down at his long lost friend. They had agreed that contact should be prohibited until they had confirmed his identity and had patrolled the area for enemies.

They had confirmation all they needed was the scouts to get back.

Sango studied him. His hair was pitch black, the only darkness in the scene below her. He was wearing orange robes, robes that meant he was still on the convent grounds. The monks here wore purple and dark blue when they left the convent. His skin was a pleasant peach with a two inch scar on the shoulder that was bare.

This was how Inuyasha could identify him. He had given him that scar himself when they were young. Inuyasha had grown up at the palace, first as a cooks helper, then as a soldier as he grew and became stronger.

His face had changed, no longer boyish, but the face of a man full grown and used to the world.

The grass was waving pleasantly in the breeze and the sun filtered through the light clouds making the scene sparkle.

"I wonder," He spoke suddenly his eyes still closed. "You two have been up there for twenty minutes, yet have done nothing." He opened his eyes and looked up at them. "What is your purpose here?"

Sango gasped as she saw the beautiful ocean blue his eyes were. And also because he had sensed them. They had made no noise or movements since they had been there.

"How....?" she couldn't speak.

"Your life energies burn strong." he told her with a kind smile. His voice had the timeless and knowledgeable tone of monks.

"Please, come down. That tree cannot be comfortable." He had no suspicion of them.

"Wow, Miroku. You sure have gotten powerful since we last met." Inuyasha said with a smile.

"Pardon?" He asked tilting his head to the side. "Do I know you?"

"What?" Inuyasha said nearly falling out of the tree. "Miroku it's me, Inuyasha!"

"Miroku? Is that my name?" He asked.

"You have no name?" Sango asked her eyebrows raised.

"I suppose I must. But whatever it is, I have no memory of it." He told her honestly.

"Perfect. He has no memory." Sango rolled her eyes.

"Please, if you know something of my past, I would like to hear it. Come down and come inside." he invited.

They both jumped out of the tree and landed in a crouch on either side of him.

He stood with them and dusted off his robes. "I'm afraid you will have to leave your weapons here, they are not permitted inside. And the scouts around the area will have to stay out as well." he spoke with a smile.

Sango and Inuyasha looked at each other in shock.

"Your good." Sango said removing her sword from it's sheath and burying it in the ground. Next to it she set all her smaller knives she had hidden about her person and the hair picks that she had sharpened to a lethal point.

Inuyasha repeated her movements beside her.

In the end Inuyasha's pile was larger than hers. "Guess you came more prepared than me." Sango said ruffling her hair now that it was down and framing her face. Inuyasha was surprised to see it went halfway down her back. He had never seen her hair down before.

"The knives in your boots as well please." Miroku asked still smiling.

Sango sighed and removed the three knives she had hidden, one in her right, two in her left and set them down.

"And the other ones." he said.

Sango grumbled but removed the two hidden on the bottom of her boots.

"The one at the small of your back." he requested.

Sango opened her mother in shock, "Wh....?" and opened and closed her mouth a few times before removing the dagger at her back hidden by her loose shirt.

"The ones on your stomach."

And so he commenced stripping her of all the weapons she had tried to hide, none of them, not even the one between her breasts, escaped his notice.

When Sango's pile was twice the size of Inuyasha's and she was effectively stripped, he finally stopped and said, with a smile, "Follow me."

Sango grumbled the whole way, unhappy at being completely unarmed.

The convent was full of monks, all of them bald unlike Miroku whose hair was long enough to pull back in a tail. The stones used to make the buildings and the long road down the center of the complex were all white and seemed to be glowing slightly.

Sango looked around in amazement. This seemed to be the one place unaffected by the Revolution. There were butterflies fluttering above the brightly colored flowers all of which were open and making the air smell pleasant. Birds sang and chirped while they flew around freely. Sango thought she even saw a baby deer being fed by a kind faced old monk.

"It's so peaceful." Sango said without meaning to her soul suddenly at ease. She no longer felt so bad at leaving her weapons behind.

"Thanks you." Miroku said opening the sliding door to a plain room with wooden floors and a pot of tea and three cups in the center of three cushions.

"Prepared for guests?" Inuyasha asked eyeing the steaming pot.

"We treat all of our guests kindly." He told them taking off his sandals and walking inside.

Inuyasha and Sango followed suit, removing their boots before stepping inside.

He poured the tea and took a drink of his before giving them theirs.

"Proving it's not poisonous?" Sango asked picking up her cup and sniffing it before tasting it.

"Actually, no." Miroku said his smile wider. "It's polite to make sure the tea is drinkable before giving it to your guests."

Inuyasha shrugged and downed it all at once. "Pretty good." He said holding it out for more.

Miroku obliged him and this time he just took a drink.

"So, you knew me from before?" he said cutting right to the chase.

"Yes. We were best friends." Inuyasha said somberly.

"Were we?" Miroku asked his smile fading a bit. "I'm sorry I do not remember."

Inuyasha looked slightly crestfallen.

Sango saw this and took over. "You said you didn't know your name." she prompted.

"No." Miroku said tearing his gaze away from the troubled Inuyasha.

"When I was brought here, I had no memory of my past. My life, for me, starts 10 years ago."

"When we escaped." Inuyasha said beneath his breath.

"Whatever happened," Miroku continued. "I was brought here bleeding and near death. All of the monks believed I should have died, when I did not they gave me the name Oiocho."

"Blessed one." Sango said knowing the language he spoke.

"Yes. A language from beyond the mountains." Miroku said gazing at her curiously but she offered no information about her past or why she would know the language.

When she said nothing he continued. "When I regained consciousness I was in great pain and still very delirious but alive. They nursed me back to health here, said I could leave once I healed. I did not and stayed to learn what they could teach me."

"So your a monk now?" Sango asked.

"Not quite." He said. "I am still an unknown entity. I cannot become a full monk without knowing my past."

Sango saw and opening and took it. "Then you wish to become a monk?"

"Of course." he said.

"Inuyasha knows your past and that's what you need to become what you want right?" Sango pressed on.

He smiled sadly. "Yes and I know what you are trying to say. I do not know if I can come with you..."

"Of course you can." Another monk said walking in the room with another pot of tea.

"Monk Miotsu." Miroku bowed his head respectfully.

Inuyasha and Sango copied him quickly.

"Please don't bother." He said. He had a look of great age and wisdom. "You can go, Miroku." he said using his real name.

"You will no longer call me Oiocho?" he asked cacthing it.

"It is not your name, Miroku." he said deliberately. "You should go out into the world." he continued on his earlier subject. "Every monk must perform a pilgrimage anyway. This is yours. To go and find who you are."

"Are you sure, master?" Miroku asked his serene expression being replaced by one of shock.

"Of course. Go, Miroku. Find out who you are, then, if you still wish to after you have discovered your past, you may return and become one of us."

"If you insist, master." Miroku said but his smile was genuine and excited now.

"Please, Inuyasha." Miotsu said. "Do not tell Miroku of his past. Let him come by it on his own."

Inuyasha was stunned. "Why not?"

"Truth is a great and terrible thing. Too much at once can overload the body, and block the chakra's."

"What?" Inuyasha asked but Miotsu just smiled and left.

"Well, that was weird." Sango said just as confused.

"Miotsu is a very wise man." Miroku said but he looked as if he had not completely understood it either.

"Well get your stuff, monk." Inuyasha said standing up. "Let's go to your new home."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Night!!


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

Hey anyone else see that new PM thing they uploaded??? That's pretty cool!!! Now people can talk to each other in more than just reviews!!:D

**Chapter 6**

"What's taking him so long?" Sango asked irritably. Once she was out of the sanctuary of the convent the shock had worn off and she had been depressed Miroku had noticed them and was acting really surly.

Inuyasha was sitting on a rock passing the time by sharpening his knives which he was very happy to get back.

"Be patient." He said for the third time.

"I've been patient." She said pacing. "He takes longer than a woman to...."

But she was cut off as Miroku and the rest of the monks came out.

"Finally." She said walking over to them.

Miroku had changed out of his bright, vibrant orange gear and now wore the purple and deep blue of a traveling monk. He also carried a long staff, taller than he was, with a golden ring at the tip and smaller thinner rings hanging on it. They jingled as he walked.

"Have fun visiting the world, Miroku." Miotsu said laying a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I will master. I shall return soon."

"We will miss you." A monk about twice his age said giving him a fine length of rosary.

"As I will you." Miroku said bowing and accepting the gift.

To Sango's relief, their good-byes were swift and tearless and Miroku was walking along with them down the road.

"I have to go ahead." Inuyasha said after the monestary had vanished beyond the horizon.

"Why?" Miroku asked.

"I have to talk to the others." Inuyasha said. "Miotsu asked us not to reveal your identity. I believe my people will respect that, but I must tell them before you arrive. Can you take him to 0 point?" he asked Sango.

"No one will know he even walked into the city." She promised solemnly.

"See you in a week." and he ran off ahead of them using his superior demon speed.

"It will take that long to travel to the city?" Miroku asked.

"Walking, yeah." Sango said walking again.

"Then perhaps we can run?" Miroku suggested innocently.

"Run? All the way to Spiara's capitol city? Are you mad?" Sango looked at him as if he had lost his mind.

"I can run as fast as him." He nodded his head at Inuyasha's back which was just disappearing on the horizon.

"Ri-ight." Sango said in disbelief.

"I can." Miroku said walking beside her.

"Well even if you can, Inuyasha needs the head start to prepare for you anyway." she said still not believing a word he said.

"I really can run that fast." Miroku said smiling genuinely now.

"Sure you can."

"No, I really can."

This topic lasted them for a few hours. Sango was starting to think that she might actually like this new king.

Until...

"So Sango, tell me about yourself." he asked walking close to her.

She didn't care. He seemed like a genuinely nice and sensitive guy, some thing she never saw any more.

"Well, I'm Inuyasha's head trainer in the resistance." She said proudly and daringly, waiting for him to question her position as she was a woman.

"Hmm...Interesting. You seemed more like a front line sort of woman to me." He said thoughtfully.

Sango smiled. "Hell yeah! And I normally am, but some one has to train those idiots and I got stuck with the job."

"Sounds like fun." he said getting closer to her. His smile was wide and perfect and set some thing fluttering in her stomach.

They stopped walking as he got in front of her, still getting closer.

"M...Miroku what..." she trailed off, her cheeks tinted red.

"There is nothing better than an independent woman." He said honestly still getting close to her.

"Wh..." her voice failed her as she felt his body heat on her chest.

Her heart was beating faster than a humming bird's wings and her thoughts were mixed up and incomprehensible.

Suddenly she felt a pressure on her ass and the moment evaporated as quickly as it set on.

He was still smiling sweetly, but she looked down at her waist and saw his arm sitting there very comfortably.

Even as she watched it, it twitched as he stroked her ass.

She turned her gaze back to him, and he was still smiling.

With a growl she pulled back her hand and slapped him square on the face.

If he wasn't royalty she would have punched him full in the stomach.

His arm dropped and he staggered back.

His cheek was glowing red beneath his hand as he laughed sheepishly.

"Geez, what kind of monk are you?" Sango asked her voice no longer friendly.

"Techniquely, I'm not a monk yet." He said.

Sango rolled her eyes and started walking again, her cheeks just as red as his.

"I am sorry, Miss Sango. Truly I could not stop myself." He said catching up to her.

"Sure you couldn't." she said coldly her nose up in the air.

"I am sorry, but you have such a lovely...

"Stop! Right there." Sango said cutting him off.

"Please Miss Sango? I am sorry." He rubbed his cheek again which was hurting in time with the pulsing of his blood.

"Just leave me alone." she said walking ahead of him.

That conversation took up the rest of their time on the journey back.

* * *

"...not to be told anything of his past, are we all understood?" Inuyasha asked completing his report to his people.

"Yes, sir!" hundreds of voices shouted back at him.

"Make sure the entire army knows!" Inuyasha ordered before leaving the raised stage in the common room.

He excited a door to the left and walked down a hallway that was empty due to every one still being in the common room.

He pulled his hands over his face felling much older than he really was.

They had finally found the king, that was great news, it would fill his people with hope for a while.

But still, more than anything, he wanted to find Kagome. His last image of her was her face open with shock as her felt the magic power he had never believed in spilled out of her and wrapped him up. Her face had been bloody as was her hips, which still had an arrow embedded in it, she had been tired and her skin was pale.

She had saved his life. Miroku may have woken up injured and almost dead.

But Inuyasha had woken with all of his wounds fully healed. He had been in an ally way, in a different city in one of the neighboring countries. It had taken him months to travel back, and when he had he saw the horrid destruction the emperor had forced on the people.

That's when he met with Shippo who was friends with the bartender at 0 point. Both hated the new regime and were thinking about starting a resistance. Inuyasha showed up right as they were looking for a leader.

He earned their trust by saving Shippo's skin from an 'over-zelouse' soldier, and he was suddenly their pick and he started the army he had control of now.

He wished that now that he had Miroku, he could spend the extra man-power to look for Kagome now.

But the extra man-power now had to be used for the tunnel that they collapsed a month ago and were just now starting to work on. It may no longer be available for their use, but the supplies inside was something they needed and he was, again, forced to let her go forgotten.

He walked into his simple office and sat down at his desk with a heavy heart. He pictured Kagome as the vibrant woman full of life that he had known before the Revolution and wondered what had happened to her.

Had she made it out alive?

The magic she used to save them had taken a lot out of some one who was as exhausted as he could tell she was. She also healed him completely.

Could she possibly be alive?

* * *

Naraku stared with distaste at the rubble that was once a part of the resistance that lived like rats beneath his city.

His dark mages were moving the large rocks, trying to find where that branch might connect to another that would lead him to the center of the rats nest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ooh I wonder what will happen next chapter. I have an idea that I hope will be awsome beyond imagining. Stay tuned!!!!


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

WOH! WTH!!! I didn't get any reviews for my last chapter!! Did it suck? What happened? Why did no one review??? Did ya'll not realize I posted it or something??? What???? I'm very sad...:(

**Chapter 7**

Inuyasha was working through some reports when Sango and Miroku walked into his office with Jenji at their side.

"We're back!" she said walking up to him. "Now get him out of my face." And she left with Jenji, just leaving Miroku with him.

"What did you do?" Inuyasha asked getting up.

Miroku shrugged but he was smiling.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes but handed him a map of the complex. "Here. I've told everyone to keep it secret, you won't know anything by our lips."

"Miotsu would be grateful." Miroku said taking the map and looking it over.

"This is where you'll be sleeping." Inuyasha said pointing to a hall that was circled. "Jenji is mayor of that hall, ask him where your room is and if you need anything. Taking women in your room is your choice, but don't let it inturupt your training, which Sango will be in charge of."

"Then when shall I train?" Miroku asked folding up the map and storing it in his robes.

"Every morning when Sango gets you up until she decides how strong you are and which class you should be put in. Then you will train with them until otherwise specified." Inuyasha said as he lead the way out of his office. "You are to stay underground unless otherwise instructed, by me and only me. If anyone else tells you to, don't listen. Normal society rules apply, no stealing, no unprovoked fighting, weapons only alowd in the training room unless they are fully sheathed. No raping, no cheating, just be a good man. Breaking of the rules will land you with good old hard work, or a jail sentence, it just depends on what you do."

"Got it." Miroku said.

Inuyasha said all of this as he led the way to Miroku's room.

He stopped in front of a door and knocked.

"Who is it?"

"Jenji open up, it's me." Inuyasha said.

"Hey, boss man." Jenji said after he opened the door.

Miroku's first impression of the man held true. He was quite big and muscular but was an overall nice guy.

"I'm leaving Miroku with you. Show him around, make him comfortable, I have work to do." Inuyasha ordered and then turned and walked back towards his office.

"Later!" Jenji called before turning his attention to Miroku. "So you ready to see your rooms? Or would you rather get some grub then go to sleep? It's just about dinner time."

"Food sounds wonderfull." Miroku said politely.

"Sure thing! Come on shorty!" He said leading him down the hall.

"Pretty cool resistance, huh?" he asked proudly.

"It's very nice." Miroku agreed looking at the caves and wondering why he felt so very at home here. "You have quiet an army here."

"Yeah. One day, this wont be here anymore. We'll be able to walk in the clear blue skies, enjoy fresh air, finally take the kingdom back." Jenji's chest swelled.

"Sounds like quite a place." Miroku but his smile was guarded. There was something, and he couldn't tell you exactly what, that made him suspicious around Jenji. Maybe it was just being in anew place after knowing only one for so long, but he he felt like there was some thing off about Jenji. But Inuyasha and everyone else trusted him. So he brushed it off and listen to Jenji who he had been tuning out for a minute.

"....announcements every morning after breakfast. Those are important, make sure you are there. And I think that's about it." Jenji finished giving him a quick run down on how things worked.

"Thank you, Jenji." Miroku said politely dispite his misgivings.

"No prob, little man." Jenji waved it off.

"You know, I am rather tall. I think it is you that is the giant, not the rest of us being short." Miroku pointed out with a smile.

Jenji laughed, it was deep and happy. "No way. I am just the right size! You guys are just really small!"

* * *

The next morning, Miroku was shaking awake by Sango who look wide eyed and ready for anything.

"Come on, get up. We have to test you this morning." She ordered. She turned around and lit the lamp next ot his cot.

"The monks don't even get up this early." he complained but he got out of bed.

Not looking at his bare chest, Sango threw him a pair of working clothes, some old breeches and a plain white shirt.

"Put these on, not your robes. I need you to fight your best and you can't do those with those robes in the way." she said before leaving.

"Yes, ma'am." he said to the empty room and changed.

Ten minutes later, he found the training hall and wondered at it's size. Even the temple with the monks hadn't been so large.

"Hurry up!" Sango said stretching in the center of the room. "Warm yourself up then we'll test you to see where you belong."

"What do you mean by that?" Miroku asked stopping in front of her and repeating her moves. He felt his still tired muscles complain as he put them to work ealier than normal.

"We have differant classes for the differant ranks of fighters. How good of a fighter you are depends on where you class. Those not of age have their own class, but everyone else falls into the other catagories. The top fighters train when they please. They include me and Inuyasha. That's it and I still drag him down here at least once a day so he doesn't go to seed." she said rotating her shoulders.

"Alright. How do you determine where they go?" he asked repeating her motions.

"I fight them." she said before dropping into a fighting stance. "First hand to hand, then with the weapon of your choice. If you can beat me it's automatic placement in the top class."

"I'm guessing only Inuyasha has beat you?" he asked dropping into his own fighting stance, a mix of what the monks taught him and a fighting style his body already knew when he apeared on their steps.

She gave him a feral smile, "It was a close tie."

And she lunged for him.

Miroku had expected something of the sort and bloked the first punch. The second, he grabbed her wrist and used her own momentum to send her down.

Sango, however, used the rest of her power to take him down with her.

They both rolled away from each other and bounced back up.

"Hey, Jenji." Kira, the hardened worrior Sango met on her first day here, said walking up to him. He was standing on the sidelines watching the fight. "What's going on?"

"Miroku's getting his palcement test." he smiled waiting for Sango to take him down.

"Did they just start?" she asked leaning against the wall next to him.

"Yep, you haven't missed a thing."

"Hey, Jenji. Kira." Nami said stopping next to Kira. "I heard Sango was testing the new guy. I wanted to watch."

"Ooooh." Jenji cringed in sympathy as Sango put her fist into his gut. Miroku curled up around her arm as if in pain.

"Well, he's out." Nami smiled.

But he wasn't. Sango tried yanking her arm back but Miroku had gotton a good hold on it.

He grabbed it and turned around then flipped her over his shoulder onto her back.

Her air rushed out and she grunted in pain.

"Oh shit!" Jenji said impressed.

"He took down Sango!" Nami said just as amazed.

"Not yet." Kira said as she got back up and lunged for him.

"What are you all doing here?" Inuyasha asked walking up to the three spectators.

"Watching the show." Jenji and Nami said at the same time not taking theirs eyes off the fight.

"Did they just start?" Inuyasha asked as the two circled each other cautiously.

"Nope." Jenji said.

"Sango's actually sweating this time." Nami giggled at the obvious trouble their undefeatable trainer was having.

"They're not wearing pads, are they?" Inuyasha asked as Miroku jumped over Sango and kicked her in the back sending her sprawling.

"Nope!" Jenji and Nami spoke at the same time again with the same relish.

Sango growled and tackled Miroku and tried to get his hands behind his back. But just as soon as she had his wrists in her hands, he flipped them over so he was on top, grabbed her wrists and forced them down.

"Give up?" He asked both of them breathing hard.

"Never!" she cried before trying to kick him.

He jumped out of the way just in time and she scrabbled to her feet.

Both of them were panting and sweating. "Your good. No one has ever lasted this long against me before."

Miroku smiled then braced himself as if he was about to pounce....

The entire complex suddenly started shaking sending everyone to their knees.

"What was that?!" Inuyasha hollared as the ground shook again. Suddenly there were screams and the sounds of swords clashing.

A man ran inside and screamed. "We're being attacked! The mages have found us!" and he ran out of the opposite door, still screaming his message.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I want reviews this time please!!!!


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

Okay can I just say one little word here.....DAMN!!! Love the reviews, of course. And I found out why ya'll couldn't review, turns out it's my fault (Of courseXP) for deleting my authors note. So oops...':). And I have a new reviewer, who wrote the longest review I've ever seen, that's the reason for the DAMN!!! So to her(Or him which ever) kagomesbutterflyfeeling and I can tell that the character limit can be a pain for you. I think I've written chapters shorter than that review. So um yes the wall I spoke of was the prophecy wall, sorry I didn't specify that. I didn't want to kill Kia either, but I had to even though I was like 'NOOOO! Not Kia!!' even as I was writing it, though you should know, I do like pulling things out of my pockets some times ;P. I chose the less evil way. Uh...No Jenji is not Jeninji the medical herb guy, but I did steal his name and modify it for my own evil purposes. And Can I say your mind is very much like mine because you have thought of a lot of things I was planning on putting in here. And just to be curious, how did you dream Kagome would join the party. I just want to know.....See if it's better than my idea....Yeah I probably would steal it if it is. So what was it? I'm dieing of curiosity here....And just so ya'll know, this is a IxK fic, I'm just working on getting Kagome back into the story.

**Chapter 8**

Inuyasha ran to 0 point, but it was in shambles.

Worse.

Dark Mages were pouring through shooting their dark powers at anything that moved.

Nami, who was only a few steps behind him, saw this and tried to run out with her small dagger drawn.

Inuyasha grabbed the back of her tunic just in time. A flash of black power rushed past where she would have been standing had she continued.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" Inuyasha hissed throwing her behind him none too gently.

"I'm getting revenge! I'm stopping them from entering our home!" she cried with tears in her eyes.

"It's too late!" he said as the others, not nearly as fast as Inuyasha or Nami who was very fast for a human. "They're already here. All we can do is get everyone out safely." he fell back into his persona of Captain of the Royal Guard with ease he wouldn't have believed possible.

"Sango! Get our worriers! As many as you can! Tell them to hold off the mages for as long as possible!" he ordered.

"Sir!" she said with respect before running off, drawing a sword she had grabbed before leaving the training center.

Jenji! Miroku! Get all of the non-fighters out of here! Now!" he said next.

"Sir!" They said at the same time. Even Miroku, who could not remember Inuyasha in his past, or even knew what his past was, recognized his authority.

"Kira, Nami!" he turned to them.

"I suppose you're going to leave me out of the battle." she sulked.

Inuyasha looked her over. She was only fifteen, her hair was golden and she was a fine beauty and would be even more so as she grew into her figure.

But no, this wasn't her battle.

"Yes, I am." he told her with a sad smile. He had found Nami on the streets one day, she had escaped the castle dungeons, but not the castle guards. Her time in that hell had been so monstrous that she could not remember a thing beyond the night he found her, 6 years ago when she was just nine. He cared for her as if she was his own.

But that wasn't the only thing keeping him from letting her fight. Top in her class she might be, but she still was no trained warrior. He did not send his people to battle knowing there was no hope they would survive.

"You and Kira are on Self Destruct." he said. It was the mission they never liked or wanted to use. They collapsed the entire complex, including halls that led to other pieces of the city. Since this was the heart of it all, the mission would be even harder to carry out.

But it was a big responsibility, and both of them knew it.

"Yes, sir." Nami said looking determined. They had to make the choice to set of the explosions in time to keep the emperor's pigs from finding other halls to other places, even if it meant not all of their people had escaped.

"There is a detonator in my office, get that first!" he said pulling them away from the entrance before any mages noticed them. "Then go to the west wing! There's a door that is locked at all times. Use the bottom of the detonator as the key to get access inside. There you will find a lot of wires hooked up to even more explosives. Hook them to the panel at the far end of the room. Insert the detonator. That will trigger the magic and set off the explosives. From that point you will have one minute to get out. Use the door at the far end of the room. Now go!" he said speaking quickly and quietly.

The nodded and ran off toward his office, drawing their weapons.

Inuyasha did so as well and turned his attention to the hoard attacking his home for the second time.

* * *

Miroku had just helped a mother and her brood escape through one of the emergency tunnels and was heading back for more. He and Jenji had separated, agreed that they could get more people to safety by splitting up.

But Miroku hadn't seen Jenji once since then. He hadn't seen him helping out any families at all, but he probably just never saw him.

He stopped and gasped.

A family of three, an elderly couple and their still young daughter, were laying slain in the passageways.

"They must be getting closer." and ran off to perfrom his duties faster.

* * *

Sango sliced her blade across the back of one the mages, severing her spine. Then jumped out of the way in time to avoid the lightning bolt another had just thrown.

Mages were tricky yo fight. You could barely ever attack from the front because their magic would fry you. But you had to be quick if they came in large numbers or the others would fry you.

Sango had rallied as many of her people as possible, though not much needed done as they had all awoken and started to fight when the ground had first shaken.

For now she was just taken out as many as she could.

"Sango!" Jenji cried running to her side with his battle axe.

"Aren't you supposed to be evacuating?" she asked dodge rolling and taking the head of another mage as she came back up.

"I was. I found Inuyasha, he said Miroku has it covered and to come help you." he yelled swiping at and missing another mage.

"Great! Guard my back!"

"You got it!" and he placed his back against hers.

* * *

"Found it!" Nami cried in triumph holding up the small rectangular box imbued with magic.

"Let's go!" Kira called back who was guarding the door. So far she had only taken out two plain soldiers who found their way this far.

Together they ran down the corridor and headed for the west wing.

"Damn!" Nami cursed in a very unlady like fashion as she saw the smoke billowing from the hall.

"It's on fire. We have to hurry before the flames reach the fuses." Kira said calmly before running down the hall, Nami only a step behind her.

* * *

Inuyasha was tearing through enemies. He had his share of injuries, but they were mostly flesh wounds. The scrapes on his back and shoulders from falling rocks, the burn on his side from a mage who had a thing for flames, and an enemy soldier had got lucky and managed to sneak behind him and he now had a gash on the back of his thigh.

He was running down one of the family halls, it was deserted now. Jenji and Miroku must be almost done.

Another mage stepped into his path. She smiled and brought up her hands, glowing with sickly red power.

"I remember you." Inuyasha growled as he remembered being chucked out of a window by her power hitting him.

"Ready for a repeat performance?" she asked, her smile just as deranged as it was before.

"Bring it!" He growled.

* * *

"Gods bless you." and old man said as Miroku helped his family out.

Miroku was frustrated. He should have at least passed Jenji by now but he hadn't seen hide nor hair of him and none of the families he asked had seen him either.

"Miroku! It's time escape!" A man he didn't know said running up to him. "I just passed Kira and Nami in the west wing, they say their about to Self Destruct."

"What?" Miroku asked not knowing anything since he had just arrived.

"Their going to blow the whole place apart. Everyone is evacuating, even the soldier now."

"Go! I'll follow just as soon as I recheck the halls." Miroku said then ran off without waiting for an answer.

* * *

"Not at the top of your game, Jenji?" Sango asked, panting, surrounded by a group of enemy soldier. All of his attacks were either non-lethal or missed entirely.

"Guess not." he said turning around. "But I'm afraid this ends here."

"Wha..." was all Sango got out before he knocked her unconscious with the but of his axe.

"Hurry up!" Jenji growled as the soldiers relaxed. Sango lay limp in his arms.

"Yes, sir!" they all said before running of to continue the fight.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

I think I'll end it there for now, I do have other stories to write B)


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

Me again! Of course its me again, who did you think it was? Anyway, I know you all are like, 'damn you Sombra, this is a IxK fic, but it can't bean IxK fic, without the K!!!! Where is she? When is she coming in?????' I know, I know, and she will soon come in, I promise!!! I don't know if it will be this chapter, but soon!!!!

**Chapter 9**

Nami jammed the detonator into the key slot and the door flew open.

Kira ushered them in and slammed the door.

"Hurry!" she said.

"What if everyone's not out yet?" Nami asked, worried.

"Don't worry about them!" Kira said keeping her eye on the door. "Just do as you were ordered!"

"But we'll kill them!" Nami protested wondering why she got cold feet now.

"There's nothing we can do! Put the detonater in the panel!"

* * *

Jenji looked at the face of his lover for the past month. She had a beautiful face, a a fine body to go with it toned from years of fighting and training.

He wondered if the Great Emperor would let him keep her.

"Sir!" A soldier ran up to him.

"What?" Jenji asked his kind demener gone now that he had revealed his true self.

"The place is empty, sir. It seems all the rats turned tail and fled."

Jenji smiled in triumph. "Prepare the men. We'll march on the other areas now."

"Sir!" and he ran back to alert the troops.

* * *

Miroku was checking the halls and doging and taking out as many enemy soldiers as possible. The mages seemed to have disapeared for now, probably to soak up the magic in the blood of all the people they slaughtered.

He carefully looked around a corner, it was empty save Jenji.

Miroku sighed in relief. Until he saw what was in his arms.

He gasped and ran out. "Jenji!"

He flinched and turned. "Miroku!"

"What happened to Sango?" he asked grabbing her head and opening an eyelid.

"I don't know. I found her like this." Jenji said looking worried.

"We have to get out of here!" Miroku said suddenly remembering why he was running like a maniac. "Nami and Kira are going to blow the place up. We have to leave!"

"Damn!" Jenji said, heatedly.

"Let's go! The escape route is over here!" Miroku pointed behind him.

It was just a split second. Almost as if it didn't happen. Jenji's eyes twitched, just slightly, as he looked at something behind him.

It was all the warning Miroku needed.

He ducked just in time to hear a sword sing right across where his neck had been just a moment ago.

"You missed him you bumbling idiot!" Jenji growled as Miroku rolled out of the way and came up on his toes.

He didn't have time to analyze it, no time to think, all he knew was Jenji had just tried to kill him, and Sango was lying unconcious in his arms.

He acted on instict and charged forward.

Jenji had as little time to think. All he knew was Miroku had held his own against Sango and Sango could easily put him on his ass.

Without thinking, just a reaction, he dropped her and jumped out of the way.

Miroku wasted no time going after him, nor the soldier who backed of as his commander did. He just gabbed Sango and started running down the tunnel.

"He....He's fast..." Jenji said in wonder as he tore out as quickly as Jenji had seen Inuyasha do.

His mind came back to him.

"You! Tell everyone: This place is going to collapse soon, everyone evacuate!" The man didn't question the ordered that countered the ones he had just spread around. He soluted then went to perform as he was told.

* * *

Inuyasha fell on his ass again as the creepy she-mage knocked him down again.

She laughed, the gross high pitched one she had been using for a while.

"Time to die, doggy." she smiled at him and raised her blood red hands that sparked darkly.

"Evacuate! The place is going to blow! A direct command! Evacuate!" a man Inuyasha recognized as one he had seen earlier running own the same way telling everyone to get ready to attack again shouted.

The woman grimiced but brought her hands down.

She gave him one last glare before turning and running.

Inuyasha didn't question his luck, he started running too, running for the exit.

He was pretty sure, with his leg sliced down the to the bone, he wouldn't make it. But he ran anyway.

* * *

"Just put the damn this in there!" Kira said raising her voice.

"But..." Nami protested weakly.

Kira rolled her eyes.

She ran up to her, snatched the detonator from her, and shoved it into the panel her self.

It started glowing and a blue light started running up the wires.

"Let's go!" Kira ordered.

There was nothing she could do now, so she ran after her, praying beyond hope everyone had gotten out safely.

* * *

Miroku was panting as he burst through the emergency exit. He found himself in the wounds outside the city. But he wasn't out of danger yet.

The bombs and the tunnels were still right beneath his feet.

No one was around, they had all ran to safety, so he was on his own as he urged his tired feet into moving forward.

* * *

Inuyasha leaned against the wall and fell down.

He was tired and there was blood leaking out of him faster than he could heal.

There was just no way he was going to make it out alive.

The halls were desterted, the quiet, for the first time in years, was peaceful.

He closed his eyes and brought Kagome's face up in his mind. Those mysterious eyes, the heart shaped face, and the gorgous hair.

_Kagome._

His mind called out. He wished she was here, right there with him. No mage would have gotten through is she had been there. They would still be here in the empty halls with children and families going about their day while fighters trained.

He had no idea when the thought of her became so pleasant or when she had become so beautiful in his eyes.

"Kagome." her name came out as a whisper, half plea, half want.

* * *

Her eyes glowed in the dark as she observed those people in her crystal ball.

She mumbled a spell and felt the energy drain out of her body.

* * *

Inuyasha could swear he felt her prescence. Wrapped around him. He didn't even feel the bombs go off, though he certainly heard it.

If this was dieing, it wasn't so bad.

* * *

Miroku was panting but he knew he wasn't far enough away when the earth behind him exploded forth pitching him and Sango forward.

He lost conciousness just as much as she did and his last thought was a prayer to the all mighty buddha for her saftey instead of his.

Then he felt like he was floating and he was gone.

* * *

Jenji looked on as a large portion of the slums crashed down, probably killing many and injuring more. People looked on in fear, it was the second time in a month.

But Jenji smiled, if they were lucky, the lead rats had been killed as well.

* * *

She leaned back panting, so far, so much power, both hers and the bombs.

"My lady?" A big black woman said concerned wiping her sweating brow.

"I am.....fine....they will need assistance though." she waved her hand weakly at the ball which had stopped glowing as she stopped feeding it power.

"It will be seen to my lady, just rest." she said her voice full of respect. Such a dificult spell and from such a distance.

Kagome nodded and closed her eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Okay, I guess she did come in this chapter. Who would have thought it???? Well....I would DUH!!! Reviews plz!!!!


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

hope this is dramatic enough for you freaks!:)

**Chapter 10**

"My lady, wait, your still tired." the tall black woman said placing a hand on Kagome's shoulder.

"I have enough strength, Miuro." she told her removing her strong hand.

"Where did you put them, I shall fetch them." she said standing up tall.

"I know you would but this is for me to do. The circle must be complete. And furthermore, I did not put them down where I wanted. They are almost ten miles east. In the Forest of Dead. They are in great danger."

* * *

"Hey! He's waking up!"

Inuyasha heard this as he struggled to consciousness.

He forced his lids open and looked straight up into a curious child's face.

"Shippo!" he yelled jumping up in surprise.

"Welcome back to the world of the living." Sango said.

"What...." Inuyasha looked around him. Almost all of his people were in the clearing of the misty foggy forest they had found themselves in. "Where....?"

"We're not sure." Miroku said appearing out of the crowd which was chattering in slight fear. There was so much fog you couldn't see the sky so you couldn't tell if it was morning or twilight.

"Is everyone here?" Inuyasha asked. He looked down at his leg and saw the absence of the gash on his thigh and felt the air rush out of his lungs.

A similar experience had happened once. A long time ago with a certain witch her couldn't get his mind off of.

"Yeah, all but a few." Sango said bitterly.

"Some didn't make it?" Inuyasha stated more than asked.

"No. Not all of us made it." Nami said walking over and sitting next to him. She leaned against his side as if seeking comfort.

He absentmindedly wrapped an arm around her.

"What's wrong?" he asked Sango who looked dark and broody.

She had opened her mouth to tell him when some one screamed.

Inuyasha got up and ran toward the direction faster than any one. A woman, one of the many cooks if Inuyasha wasn't mistaken, was sitting on the floor trembling in fear.

"What's wrong?" Inuyasha demaded to know as her husband ran to her side and knelt next to her.

"I....I sa.....sa....it..."

"What is it!?" Inuyasha said scanning the surrounding woods which was frighteningly quiet.

"Huge.....and and and....." but words seemed to escape her.

Miroku knelt on her other side and placed a comforting hand on her forehead.

"Please miss, calm down." he said with infinite patience. "Tell me, what is it that you saw?"

His calm and steady voice was able to reach her where Inuyasha's rough and demanding one hadn't. "A....A huge....It was a demon!"

"I'm a demon." Inuyasha said rolling his eyes. Many of the other demons in his group nodded in agreement with him.

"No not like you." she seemed to be regaining her composure as Miroku stroked her hand gently. "It was massive with....with....oh it's eyes...." but the memory over came her and the fear returned full force.

Suddenly the quiet but foggy woods no longer seemed so tranquil.

All of my warriors! Make a circle around the civilians! If you see anything shout it out! Do not hesitate." Immediately people started running around.

"Sir there are no weapons!" a large bear demon told him.

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked.

Miroku told him without taking his eyes of the woman who was slowly regaining her composure. "No ones weapons came with them. There is not even a tiny dagger among us. Even Sango has been completely disarmed."

Inuyasha growled. "Okay! Demons, those who don't need weapons to fight, make the circle. The humans who don't need one either can also help but put no one at risk! That includes you." he said lowering his voice as Nami tried to rush past him to help make the circle.

"I can fight! You know I can!" she yelled in frustration.

"You are a civilian until you turn 18. Now go help the civilians. And no sneaking off to join the circle." Nami grumbled but did as she was ordered.

"There isn't that much better?" Miroku asked the woman with an inocent smile. She was no longer trembling and her skin had lost the pale look.

"Oh yes sir monk. I feel much better." she told him. He still held her hands in his.

"Then please allow me to ask you this question?" he said still smiling. "Would you mind bearing my children?" he asked.

Out of no where a fist came flying knocking him upside his head.

Sango was the one attached to it and she looked furious. "Jeez, your a monk aren't you?" she asked as Miroku released her hands and she ran off to her husband with a laugh. She obviously thought he had been kidding.

"But I am still a man, yes?" he said standing up and placing his hand on her behind.

Sango turned red in a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

Inuyasha watched in fascination as she knocked him on his ass with a great slap to the face.

"Pervert." she said before tossing her hair and joining the protective circle.

Inuyasha leaned down next to his friend who was smiling with great pain. "It might have been worth it." he said with a laugh.

"Man, ten years and a lost memory later and you still haven't changed." Inuyasha said.

"You mean I have always done this?" Miroku asked. He obeyed his master's rule about finding his past for himself but he desperately wanted to know.

"From the time you hit puberty." Inuyasha said shaking his head. Before Miroku could ask anymore, he got up and joined the circle as well.

* * *

Nami was feeling sulky. There was no one who needed medical treatment as whatever had gotten them there had healed them as well, it seemed. There was a need to tend to the children but Nami couldn't find any who didn't already have both a mother and a father figure. She hated feeling so useless.

So she went to the edge of the circle and sat down behind the bear demon who had broken the news to Inuyasha about the weapons earlier.

"Hey tall, dark, and handsome." she said grinning standing behind him.

"Nice try, but the captain said your not to be apart of the circle." His name was Utaro and he and Nami had been a couple for some time now. He had just turned 18 last winter.

"I'm not apart of the circle. I'm in the circle. See? In." she said smiling at him. "I'm just so bored."

Utaro half turned and faced the beautiful girl that he loved. "You are too close for his liking. And for mine if it comes to that."

Nami smiled at him flirtatiously. "A big strong man like you. You'll protect me, right?"

He smiled at her and her gaze turned to the forest for just a split second.

She froze in fear as what she saw struck her full force.

"Nami? What is it?" Utaro asked turning around.

He growled and bent into an attacking stance.

Nami let out a shrill scream. It was not all of fear, it was also a warning that any one could comprehend.

Inuyasha was over in seconds and saw what had drawn her gaze. People started screaming as they saw it too and felt the fear.

That....thing!....was neither human nor demon. It couldn't be. It looked like a soul from hell. All of it's many teeth were sharp points, each of them dripping blood. Blood that came from it's own gums as the razor sharp points pierced the delicate skin. Inuyasha reeled as the stench of the blood. If he had any doubts before that of that thing being human or demon, they were immediately banished as the putrid smell of it's blood hit his sensitive nostrils. Sick and wrong, a smell that Inuyasha wouldn't even have given to a corpse that had been rotting in the hot summer sun for days on end.

But his appearence alone was enough to tell them he was something...else. His eyes, beady and almost non-exsistant, were pitch black and as Nami looked into them she felt as if they could suck out her soul by staring at her alone.

It's flesh, if you could call that writhing mass of burnt red and orange colored thing that seemed to be melting off of it's bones flesh, was letting off a completely different odor than that of it's blood. And as Inuyasha took a closer look at the thing, he could see why.

It seemed that the skin, almost completely decomposed, was hanging off the thing like badly fitting clothing. The eye sockets seemed too big for the tiny dark eyes and the mouth was wide and gaping although the gums and teeth were not. The claws, almost an inch long, were jagged and ripped rather than grew out of the fingers.

This thing had stolen the skin of a human, a female if Inuyasha could judge the dead flesh correctly, and had worn it as clothing.

"What is that?" Sango said repulsed. Even to her un-sensitive nose the stench was foul.

"A broken soul." Miroku said in sick wonder.

"A what?" Inuyasha asked baring his claws at the thing.

"A soul that climbed it's way out of hell. It has no true form and must steal the flesh from others to live without pain." Even as he spoke the arm of the once human female fell off of the broken soul's and fell to the ground. The thing groaned in pain as it's horrid excuse for an arm was exposed. It started smoking as if the dull light from the sun that battled it's way through the dense fog was melting it.

"There's more!" Some one yelled at the other side of the clearing. Everyone turned and saw three more, two missing both legs and one of those half of it's stolen face, and the other looked fresh and the sent of death it was giving off was only a few days old.

"What is this place?" Inuyasha asked sickened. Others, all in different stages of decomposition, started emerging from the trees, groaning and moaning like the souls from hell that they were. "Miroku you know so much about them! How do we defeat them?"

Miroku didn't answer.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha growled as he saw ones in trees started to pop out onto the over hanging limbs and staring down at them as their blood fell freely to the ground.

He sounded grim and resigned as he said, "There is no way to defeat them."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

eww, nasty.


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

And now for the chapter you have all been waiting breathlessly and (very) impatiently for!!!

**Chapter 11**

Inuyasha and the others pulled their circle tighter as the disgusting rotted things approached them.

"Demon be gone!" Miroku yelled throwing a sutra that he had in his robe at the thing. It his it in the center of his forehead and stuck there.

This stopped it and it was still for a second before it was engulfed in bright blue flames and collapsed on the ground.

"I don't suppose you have a few dozen of those things?" Inuyasha asked without any real hope as its brothers avoided the purifying flames. The no weapon thing had never seemed worse than it had right then.

"I have about six more." he answered regretfuly preparing another one.

"So what do we do to the other oh, I don't know, about 30!" Sango yelled sarcastically.

"We need a miracle." Utaro said as if it was the simplest things.

"Why can't we just rip the damn things to shreds?" Inuyasha asked flashing his claws.

"As they have no proper body, there really isn't anything to rip to shreds. They will simply put themselves back together." Miroku said throwing a sutra at a demon that had got too close to the circle.

"Damn." Inuyasha said reaching out and slicing one in front of him in half. He fell to the ground and his halves started to bleed. But the blood was not pooling, it reached out to the other half and pulled it together. The stolen flesh on top remained severed but the soul was as whole as ever.

Inuyasha ran forward and kicked it back. It hit a tree with a satisfied thud but all that did was slow it down.

Suddenly Inuyasha bent over in pain.

"Whats wrong?" Nami asked.

Inuyasha, trembling, held out the hand he had clawed the demon with. The blood from the thing had started eating through his flesh. It was smoking and the skin was turning black.

Nami gasped. "Some one get it off of him!" but there was no water to wash it off and anyone who touched him would probably have the same happen to them.

The acidic blood finished eating through his skin and started in on the meat. Since this was much more dense than skin, it took longer to dissolve. All the same, that only increased the pain.

"This would probably be a bad time to point out what they do to the victims they steal the skin from." Miroku said as one particularly nasty one came forward and dripping from his mouth was more than just the blood from his gums. It was also some sort of clear green-ish yellow mucus.

"Let me guess." Sango said copying Inuyasha's move and kicking one backwards. "It eats them."

"That easy to tell, huh?" Miroku asked throwing another sutra at a demon that had got too close to their protective circle.

"It wasn't hard." Utaro said following their example and kicking one. It flew backwards at and angle and hit another one and both of them went flying into the trees.

"Woh, two points!" He smiled.

"This is a terrible time for a sense of humor." another demon, this one an earth demon made purely of rock, said punching back the souls with fists of stone. It seemed the blood didn't effect the earth.

"So not fair." Utaro, who could find humor in almost any situation, said as the rock demon, Kenta, started punching so rapidly the air was full of flying lost souls.

"You know, we might be able to fight off these things." Nami said as Utaro and a very powerful human to his left got into an abrupt kicking contest.

"Yeah, but for how long?" Sango asked. "Will you two knock it off!" She suddenly yelled at Utaro and the human. "This is a serious situation! This is no time for your games!"

"If I'm going down, I'm going down laughing!" Kenta, who had a sense to match Utaro's, declared.

The demon's all pulled back, they seemed able to learn as they no longer crept up to them out of fear of being kicked back.

"So we just have to keep this up forever." Utaro said.

Miroku threw his last sutra at a particularly fierce looking lost soul. "Or until we all starve."

Suddenly all of them felt like there was a huge weight on their shoulders.

"What the....hell is....this!" Inuyasha grunted struggling to remain upright.

Miroku gasped and looked directly from above. "Magic!"

"The mages! Have they found us?" Sango asked wondering what was worse, the soulless demon's or the merciless mages.

"No! It's not....the same!" he bent over at the waist as the weight got heavier.

With a loud war cry, a very tall black woman with long braided hair that resembled the starry sky leapt out from the air above their heads and landed, back towards the group, just outside the circle.

The soulless demon's saw her and hisses and groaned with a nasty spray of blood and their green-ish yellow drool.

"Yeah, you better be scared!" she growled holding up a hand that was glowing with the same blue fire that Miroku could call up with his sutras.

More women started coming. Each of them jumping and flipping out of the same invisible hole above their heads. Each was a different size and height but they all had one thing in common as they surrounded Inuyasha's men in their own protective circle. They all had hands covered in the blue fire the soulless things seemed to fear. They were certainly shrinking back into the woods, albeit reluctantly.

As the women started coming through the weight lifted from their shoulders until everyone cuold stand up again.

One last girl with long black hair jumped out with an elaborate flip and landed in front of Inuyasha. He couldn't see any of their faces but as they weren't facing them with the fire he wasn't complaining.

"Come on, girls!" The big black woman yelled throwing her fist of fire. It hit one causing it to scream and crumple to the ground.

"This will take too long, Miuro!" A small girl with blonde hair pulled back from her face called out.

"A barrier!" A maternally looking woman with frizzy red hair called from the opposite side of the circle.

"Fine!" the black woman, Miuro if Inuyasha heard right, called. "Ready, NOW!"

As one, the women clapped their hands together then spread them apart as if trying to touch each other though they were too far apart. From the point where they clapped a large barrier, just as blue as the fire, expanded and created a dome around Inuyasha's men.

"Start getting them out!" the woman with black hair ordered not turning around.

Immediately 5 of the circle stopped and retreated inside. The others, as almost a practiced movement, shifted around making the spacing between each person equal again.

All of them stopped and bowed before Inuyasha.

He knew, almost instinctively, what to do.

"Women and children first!" he said.

The nodded and walked to the center. Three of them, the smallest, clasped hands and started chanting under their breath.

The bigger of the two, who happened to be twins, started calling out. "Women and children to the front please! Women with smaller children first!"

A couple of ladies with infants climbed ahead with looks of vast relief on their faces.

A large black hole appeared where the three girls stood.

"Step inside. You'll find others on the other side who will help you." one of the twins instructed while the other let people through.

Inuyasha looked to the ones protecting them. From what he could see, all of their eyes were shut as if in deep concentration and a couple were sweating.

"Hurry! They cannot keep that up forever." one twin said to the other.

"We cannot let them through too fast or they'll overwhelm Jasmine, Hurai, and Gini." the one letting people through told her.

The first twin opened her mouth as if to retort but Miuro said in an aggitated voice, "Just hurry it up and stop your bickering!"

"Yes ma'am!" They called back.

Slowly but surely his people walked through and onto, apparent, safety. But it was better than staying there where death was assured.

Finally Sango and Miroku walked through and Inuyasha was all that was left.

One of the twins grabbed his arm. "You next." she said.

"But..." he looked at the women who had protected and saved his people.

"We'll come after you, don't worry." she said and her and her twin jumped with him into the hole.

He came out onto a patch of clean grass covered in early morning dew.

All of his people, safe and unharmed, were standing around looking curiously at their surroundings. The twins marched him forward as the women started coming out as well but he was too busy taking in what he was seeing to pay attention to anything.

He was in a forest, but such a big forest he had never seen. The trees looked so tall as to touch the sky and the circumference of their trunks could easily fit around large houses. There were rope and wood bridges connecting the trees and every so often some one would run or walk across some with their arms loaded with different things but Inuyasha couldn't see them clearly, they were too high up. He assumed the trunks must have been hollowed because where one bridge reach the end the people would disappear inside.

But the place he had come out onto was even wierder. A strange stage of stones set in a wierd disign in the shape of a circle. The stones looked like they were there naturally, or they had been their so long they had turned into stepping stones inside the ground.

Finally the last people came through, the ones who had made the portal in the first place.

The woman with black hair, he still couldn't see her face, was talking to the one called Miuro but over the noise.

The black woman nodded and called out. "Please, everyone follow me and we will find you a place to stay."

They all looked to Inuyasha and with no other choice, he nodded and they followed her.

The woman with black hair started toward him but before he could get a good look at her face, Sango and Miroku turned him around.

"Are you sure about this?" Sango asked feeling twice as suspicious as before because of Jenji.

Inuyasha still didn't know so he raised his eyebrow in question but she didn't answer him.

"We really have no choice and they haven't been hostile so far." Inuyasha said just as unsure.

"Well perhaps if we...." Miroku started to say but he stopped when some one tapped on Inuyasha's shoulder.

He turned and gazed in stark surprise into a pair of dark brown eyes he never thought he would see again.

"I am so glad to see you again, Inuyasha." Kagome said with that all too familiar smile.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

reviews please!!!!


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

I hate being sick...*sneeze*

**Chapter 12**

"Let me fix that for you." and she laid her hands on top of the acid burned one of his. He had forgotten the burning flesh in all of the excitement. But now that he thought about it he realized it was also partly because the acid must have burned through all of the nerves in his hand.

But no sooner had she touched it that the burn started coming back followed seconds later by his flesh regrowing.

"How is that?" she asked.

Her eyes were just as he remembered. Knowing and yet somehow more playful than they had been.

"Wha...." he gasped.

"Inuyasha who is this?" Sango asked.

"Kagome." Inuyasha turned and stared at Miroku who clasped his hand over his mouth.

"You remember her?" he asked.

"I am honored." Kagome smiled at him.

"You knew his memory was gone?" he turned to her.

"Of course. I, myself, removed it." she told him then turned and started walking away.

"Wait, what?"

All three of them, baffled, followed after her.

"Why would you do that?" Miroku asked her.

"Malinda can you run and ask the cooks to prepare a feast tonight for our guests." Kagome said to another young woman.

"Yes, my lady." she bowed her head then disapeared on the spot.

Inuyasha and Sango blinked in surprise but Miroku was not to be detoured.

"You didn't answer me." he said stepping in her path.

"If I tell you, you will know your past against Master Miostu's wishes." she told him.

"How did...."

"But if you need some comfort that it wasn't for nothing, trust me when I say that losing your memory is much better than you keeping it." with that, she sidestepped him and kept walking.

Miroku followed Inuyasha and Sango with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Kagome, can I call you Kagome?" Sango asked.

"Of course." Kagome stopped and looked upwards at the biggest tree in the area.

"Kagome, what is this place?" she asked.

Kagome turned and smiled at them. "I have been watching you. Much closer than you probably think. I saw you building your resistance Inuyasha but all you had at your disposal was fighters. Nothing against fighters of course." she nodded to Sango. "But the Emperor has many mages at his command. You needed a magic army as well and that is what I have been building."

She spread out her hands. "Welcome to Havana! Magical resistance forces! Witches and worlocks that have trained to fight beside you and at your command for the last ten years."

Inuyasha was taken back.

He turned around and saw the many witches and some warlocks staring at him in welcome.

"This is another piece of your army Inuyasha." Kagome said turning his attention back to her. "The magic piece. This army shall easily defeat the Emperor's forces."

Inuyasha was surprised when he heard cheering and clapping all around him.

* * *

"Gone, my liege." his captain reported. "Every single rat has disappeared from the city."

"But they are not dead." he replied with dangerous calm.

"Uh..no, my liege." the man said, nervous now. "As I said, they had all disappeared by the time we reached the rest of the tunnels." He tried at a smile but it looked more like he had a bad toothache. "Your greatness has obviously scared them off."

"They are not dead." he said again his voice still not raised above a loud whisper. "They are still alive and they will continue to oppose me."

"Uh..That is..um" he seemed at a loss for words and was sweating now.

"It seems you have disappointed me." the frost in his voice was almost tangible now.

"No. Please, my Lord."

"Do not worry, Aknim. I shall not kill you."

Instead of relieving him, Aknim turned a funny shade of green then paled, "No! Please. I will never disappoint you again. Please!"

"I know you will not, Aknim." he raised a finger and three guards marched in and grabbed Aknim.

His begging echoed down the corridor and another person entered. It was a woman this time. With a fan.

"Yes, Kagura?" he asked.

"Another captain, Naraku?" she asked.

Naraku smiled, but there was no humor in it.

"I shall be careful not to kill this one. What do you want, Kagura?"

"The wall will not fall." she said immediatly.

Naraku finally showed signs of unhappiness as a small wrinkle appeared in his forehead. "That wall." he nearly growled. "Very well. Build another wall and cover it up." he ordered.

Kagura nodded.

"And Kanna says that it was definitely magic that helped the rats escape. _Natural _Magic." she said emphasising the word 'natural'.

His fists clenched on the arms of his throne.

* * *

Inuyasha walked with her into the place that she called her office.

It was much more open then his had been. Not only because she had large windows on each side of the circular walls revealing the canopy of the giant trees and the open blue sky, but also because the colors.

Inuyasha's had been the color of dark soil because that was what it had been made of. Hers was light wood from the tree she had built it in giving it a much more welcome appearance. She had a desk much like his but she also had bookshelves and a large sofa and a braided rug on the floor.

Instead of sitting behind the desk, as he would have done, she sat on the sofa and gestured for him to do the same.

He did so without taking his eyes off her face.

There was silence for a minute.

It wasn't awkward and the birds chirping outside and the monkey's tittering made it not quiet, but he didn't speak.

Finally she said. "You have so many questions in that brain of yours."

"I don't know where to start." he admitted.

"Start at the begining." she advised.

Immediately the question came from his mouth. "What happened?"

She knew he meant ten years.

"The escape from the palace." she said.

The night came back clear to her. The screams and shouts. The smell of blood and smoke in the air. The pain. Oh the pain.

"We were each sent some where different." she said. "Miroku, I of course, sent to a convent of monks."

"Why did you erase his memory?" he asked. Since the man in question wasn't around she could answer freely.

"Think Inuyasha. You know Miroku. If he had remembered he would have run back to the castle without thinking to avenge his people. He probably wouldn't have been fully healed. That is just the sort of man he is."

This made sence but it brought up another point. "Why did you heal me?" he asked.

"You needed it most." she told him.

Another memory came flying back to her.

_She had to drag herself across the ground, it felt as if her legs were broken. She knew she was on the verge of death but she couldn't just stop in the middle of this jungle. Who knew what kind of predators lurked in these woods?_

_She heard the sound of a waterfall. With new hope, she started pulling herself there leaving behind a trail of broken vegetation and blood._

_"What is this?" she heard a voice say._

_She looked up and saw a tall black woman with very long braided hair._

_"Hel..p..me.." she gasped._

_The woman raised her eyebrows and Kagome blacked out._

"What do you mean, I needed it most?" Inuyasha asked.

"You needed to make your army, you needed your strength the most. Besides, your wounds were such you would have died had I not healed you." she said.

She said it so matter of factly that Inuyasha was a little blown away.

There was silence again for a minute.

"Are you out of questions?" she asked.

"Not quite." he said wondering. "What is the difference between a witch and a mage?"

Kagome smiled. "I had hoped you would ask that. We differ in many ways. Every life, from the smallest flower all the way up to us, has magic in them. It is usually no more than enough to keep us alive. When we bleed we release some of this magic and when we die, even more. Mages use this energy to use magic. Their darkness comes from using the blood and lives of others for their own wants and desires."

Inuyasha almost wished he hadn't asked but he had to know.

"Witches and, very rarely, warlocks are people who have access magic. When you have so much magic in your body that you can release it at will, that is what makes us who we are."

"Why are there more witches than warlocks?"

"Women have children." she said simply.

"That wasn't helpful at all." he grumbled.

Kagome smiled. "The ability to create life, that rests souly with a woman. Sometimes men can have more magic in their veins, but it usually woman that have that ability."

"Because they can create life?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes." she replied. "This gives women more magic than men, sometimes enough to affect the world around them."

"Wow." he said.

"Yes. We only have about 5 warlocks here." Kagome waved her hand to indicate Havana.

"And how many witches?"

Kagome smiled. "128 at last count. And there are more coming."

Inuyasha felt a huge weight lift off of his shoulders that he hadn't realized was there. He had always wondered how he would combat the mages, with the witches here would solve that problem for him.

"We are completely at your command, my captain." she said.

"It feels as if they are completely at your command." Inuyasha said slipping easily into the familiar role of leader. "How can you ask them to blindly follow a leader they have never known?"

"I told you." she said leaning closer to him. "They have trained to serve under your command. I have always served under you so I know your capabilities. If I saw so, they will follow you."

Inuyasha found that it wasn't as uncomfortable to have her this close as he remembered it to be.

In fact he leaned a little closer as well. All of the professionalism fell away as he looked into her eyes.

"I missed you." he said without thinking about it.

Kagome's smile softened. "As have I. But at least I have been able to see you. I have always watched over you."

For some reason this didn't come as much of a surprise to him. He lifted his hand and stroked her cheek.

She leaned into his touch and all of the mask of mystery she wore dropped.

Kagome fell forward into his arms. "Oh, I have missed you, Inuyasha."

After a brief moment of surprise, he placed his hands on her back and his chin on top of her head.

"Strange as it may seem, I have missed you as well." he confided. "And if you tell anyone I said that, I'll deny it. I have a reputation to keep, you know."

Kagome laughed gently into his chest. "You secret is safe with me."

She pulled back.

"You must get ready for the feast. And tomorrow, the training begins."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Review me because I love them.


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

I still have nothing important to say....

**Chapter 13**

Inuyasha groaned and rolled over on his side. The light was hurting his head, searing his eyeballs.

"Inuyasha, get up." That evil persistent voice said with a chuckle.

"Go away." he said his voice still slurred.

"This is your fault for drinking all of that beer yesterday." she chastised making his head pound more. "Here, drink this."

He smelled something foul and revolting that calmed his nautios stomach and cooled his head just a small bit.

"What is it?" he asked lifting his shaggy head. It smelled terrible, but it was making his head stop hurting just by smelling it.

"Hangover cure." Kagome said pushing the mysterious green liquid on him.

"Do I have to?" he asked taking it from her.

"You can walk around all day with that head if you want." Kagome said.

He was sorely tempted until she walked over to his window and threw open the closed drapes making the light, which was too bright for his liking to begin with, even brighter.

He yelled in pain at the light, the yelled in pain again as his own voice ruptured his ear drums.

"Drink up." Kagome said brightly.

He glared at her but drank down the nasty concoction.

The effects happened almost instantly.

"What happened?" he asked as he felt his head shrinking.

"You drank yourself stupid last night." Kagome told him taking the cup back.

"Yes, I meant after that part." Inuyasha said sarcasticly sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Is he up?!" some one practically shouted slamming his door open.

"Ow!" Inuyasha said obviously as his head ache still wasn't all the way gone.

Miroku and Sango came in.

"If I'm going to suffer your suffering with me!" she said, still much louder than she needed to.

"Hangover?" Inuyasha mocked. "Mine is almost gone."

Kagome set the cup down but Sango saw it. "How come he gets a cure?"

"I was trying to give you yours." Miroku said handing her a cup while getting real close to her.

She eyed him distrustfully but took the cup.

"Wait, you already took yours?" Inuyasha asked knowing Miroku had drank as much if not more than him and Sango.

"I didn't have a hangover." he said with a smile.

"Bastard." Sango complained under her breath then took her medicine.

Inuyasha wanted dearly to tell him the same thing but Kagome stopped him.

"When you get dressed I want to see you in my office. We have plans to make."

"Yeah, yeah." he grumbled getting out of bed.

"Ah! Inuyasha!" Kagome squealed turning around.

"What?" he asked looking over at Miroku.

His eyes were closed and he seemed to be struggling not to laugh.

"You buck ass naked." Sango said, who was the only one who didn't stop looking but she had blushed bright red.

He looked down and shouted and grabbed the blanket he had been under and covered himself up.

* * *

An hour later as Kagome and Inuyasha started training their people with each, she was still giggling.

Afternoons had been set aside for weapons training where everyone would practice as they had before.

But mornings is where they learned how to fight each other. Fighters learned how to defend against magic and the witches learned how to defend against fighters.

Even Kagome was learning how to fight better with a sword. Inuyasha showed her the exact same amount of mercy as he showed any one else he trained.

None at all.

"Come on, push harder!" He growled pushing her backwards. Their swords had formed an 'x' where they had clanged together and he was overpowering her. In truth he was holding back but he was still too much for her.

She was sweating and grunting with the force he applied on her arms. Her muscles were trembling in fatigue and with a little more pressure he forced her to her knees.

Kagome gasped in pain as her knee hit the hard earth.

"Push!" he ordered.

"I....AM!" she forced herself to say s most of her strength was being used to push back.

Another sword clashed against his and this one succeeded in pushing him back.

Kagome fell forward on all fours as the pressure was released.

Miuro was glaring at him pushing his attack back with her own.

"She is tired." she said.

Inuyasha pushed back. "Good, it means she'll get stronger."

Miuro stepped forward again. "She is done for today."

Inuyasha stepped forward. "_I'll_ say when she's done._ I'm_ her trainer."

Miuro stepped forward. "She _is_ done! That is my call."

Inuyasha stepped forward. "No, it is mine!" He growled at her.

Miuro stepped forward. "No, it is mine! I have known her longer than you." her growl was as ferocious as his.

He could not move forward as he had reached the limit of his strength. But he said, "Exactly! Your too close to her."

She could not step forward either. "You are a demon, she is a human! She has limits you do not!"

"I know very well she is a human! I know her limits!"

"Apparently you do not!"

They growled at each other at an impasse.

"Umm...Miuro..." Kagome said weakly sitting up.

Miuro didn't pay attention to her.

"In...Inuyasha...?"

He, too, ignored her.

"Stupid witch!"

"Stubborn dog!"

They both jumped apart from each other and glared at one another from opposite sides of the training ground, which someone had been smart enough to place on the ground.

They charged at each other at the same time and sword met sword with a thunder clap.

Inuyasha tried to go low but Miuro blocked him.

Likewise, she tried to slash him from the side. He parried her attack and tried kicking her feet out from under her.

She jumped backwards and no sooner had she landed that she was charging again.

"What's with them?" Miroku asked.

Him and Sango had been fighting again, by the looks of them neither had won, again, but Inuyasha's fight had stolen their attention.

Kagome had worked her way to her feet and was gazing in horror at the scene before her.

They had jumped back again and were now circling each other. Panting and sweating, some times one would step forward but the otehr would block the clow before it could land and they would jump back.

"Your not doing her any favors." Inuyasha said between pants.

"It is not up to you what I do. I will protect my lady always." Miuro said proudly.

"Babying her wont help her learn to fight. You can't expect to always be there for her."

"I will! I wont leave her side!"

They were back to glaring at each other.

"We are evenly matched it seems." Inuyasha finally said.

Miuro grinned. "I think not. I have something you do not." and without another word her blade was on fire.

"A showman's trick." Inuyasha said but he eyed the blade.

"How's this for a showman's trick!" She yelled! She pulled back her sword then made a motion as if to throw it at him. The sword didn't leave her hand but the fire leapt off her blade and flew right at Inuyasha.

"Enough!" Kagome yelled throwing up a barrier betweent the two. "What is wrong with you two!"

They both seemed to be brought back to earth with Kagome's spell and they lowered their weapons. But they didn't stop glaring at each other.

Miuro turned and walked off.

"Where are you going?" Kagome asked.

Miuro didn't answer but vanished into the brush.

The barrier faded but Inuyasha did not chase her.

"What's with her?" He asked wiping his forehead.

"She is fiercely devoted to Kagome." A witch told him.

"Why?" he asked curious as the anger drained from him.

She shrugged. "I don't know. She just is."

Inuyasha looked back at the spot where she had vanished.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Review me I love them!!!


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

Guess what? This is a celebratory chapter. I have passed all of my final exams and school is (finally) over!! I am now officially a junior!! yay me!!! So to congratulate myself, this chapter is dedicated to me!!! Lol JKJKJK!! This is, as they all are, just for my fans!!!

**Chapter 14**

"What is with her?" Inuyasha asked pacing in Kagome's office. She was filling out paperwork, almost oblivious to him.

"With who?" she asked lighting a candle with a wave of her hand but still not looking up. The sun was setting and the room had gotten dark.

"Miuro! That's who! Do you know what she did?" he grumbled.

"I'm sure your going to tell me." she mumbled.

He didn't seem to have heard her. "She came in during training and had the gall to challenge me, ME!, to a duel! Right in front of the rookies."

"Hmm...." Kagome said absently her mind still fully on the reports on her desk.

Inuyasha didn't notice. He went right on ranting and pacing with Kagome making 'hmmm' and grunting sounds every time he paused.

It took her a minute to notice the sudden quiet. Wondering if Inuyasha had left, she looked up.

He was growling at the doorway which held Miuro who glared at him as well.

"Why are you here?" he snarling popping his knuckles.

"I have as much a right....Well actually," she smiled condescendingly, "I have more of a right to see Kagome when I want to then you do."

"Why you...."

She ignored him and stepped around him and walked right up to Kagome's desk.

She raised her voice of Inuyasha's grumbles and complaints. "Miriko said she heard some people wondering around at the north eastern border today."

"That's the direction of the capital." Kagome said her attention fully captured.

"Exactly." Miuro said. Inuyasha finally shut up so she lowered her voice. "She says the barrier stopped them from getting too close but they still got pretty far in. Any closer and she said she would have ordered the archers to shoot."

"I'll strangthen the barrier in that...."

"You will do no such thing!" Miuro cried slamming her hands on her desk. "You are worn out as it is! You are using your powers too much! I just told you so you would know what was going on not so you could further exhaust yourself."

"If they get too close...."

"Then we will kill them as we have killed all of the soldiers who have ventured too near!"

"They will get suspicious if the people who come near this area keep dieing." Inuyasha said refusing to be cut out of the conversation.

Miuro glared at him as if she would like nothing better than to set him on fire.

Kagome suddenly stood up and glared at both of them. "I don't know what you two's problem is, but you better get over it fast. You will not leave this room until whatever it is between you is settled."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest and Miuro said weakly, "But..."

Kagome ignored them both. She grabbed the papers off her desk and walked out without once looking behind her. She paused only long enough to set a seal on the door and the windows then walked away.

Inuyasha ran to the door and attempted to break it down.

"It is no use." Miuro complained sitting down with her arms crossed. "She will have spelled the door so we can't get out. The windows as well." she said when he turned his eyes on them.

"What is her problem?" he growled. Why he ever wanted to see her again was beyond him.

* * *

Three hours later found Inuyasha beating at any inch of the giant tree that looked weak enough to punch through.

Miuro's foot was bobbing in impatience and it wasn't long until she finally popped.

"Will you STOP!" she finally yelled just as Inuyasha was about to try to knock down the door again.

"If you want to stay here forever that's fine, but I don't." he said.

"We're only in here until we fix the problem between us." she said standing up. Inuyasha didn't like the fact that she had a good three inches on his in height.

"I hate you. You hate me. No problem." he said.

"Kagome said to fix it. That is what we will do." Miuro said through clenched teeth as though she had a tight rien on her patience.

"Well you did start it." Inuyasha said leaning up against the wall.

Miuro took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You are a very pitiful man." she said.

"Hey!" He said getting off the wall. "This whole thing started because of you anyway!"

"Me?!" she very nearly screeched. "You are the one who was pushing Kagome past her limits!"

"I'm her trainer! I say what her limits are!" he growled.

"You do not even know her!" Miuro said.

They had some how marched to the center of the room and were glaring at each other in the face.

"I've known her for..."

"Two years!" Miuro said interrupting him. "You knew her for two years ten years ago!" Miuro said leaving Inuyasha speechless.

"Uh..."

"Exactly! People change in ten years." Miuro pressed her point. "You have no idea what she does! Or how much energy she spends each day."

"If I don't know it's because no one has told me!" He growled.

"You ignorant fool! How do you know nothing of magic!" she asked. Then she suddenly stepped back, a sad look in her eyes. "Of course. How could you know anything of magic?" her voice was quiet now.

She sighed and walked over to the couch and dropped into it. "You cannot be blamed for what you didn't know."

Inuyasha was still confused by the sudden change in her behavior.

She was silent for a second, as if she was gathering her wits about her. "Ten years ago, when Kagome first came here, she was broken and on the edge of death."

Inuyasha was silent as he listened.

**_*Ten Years Ago* _**

**_(Any text like this is Miuro talking from the present) _**

_Miuro looked down at the mass of flesh and blood that stared up at her through eyes glazed in pain._

___"Hel..p..me.." she gasped._

_Then her head fell onto the forest floor as she lost consciousness._

_Miuro, she was only 16 at the time, knealed down and turned her over. "Hey. Hey!" But she wouldn't wake._

_She had to drag her home though she knew it didn't help her condition any._

_Miuro lived in a small hut in one of the smaller trees in this forest of giants. It was the only place safe from the predators that stalked the floors below. She had come down to go hunting for food, but she would have to save that for later._

_Climbing the rope ladder into her rickety tree house was hard with the girl bleeding and limp at her side but she was finally able to push her up and inside._

**_"She didn't look good. I was almost tempted to just end it myself and save her suffering, but...."_**

_Miuro gasped as she opened her eyes._

_"Who..." she forced__ out. Her voice was raspy._

_"Here." Miuro said handing her a wooden bowl with water._

_She took the drink gratefully but it spilled down her face and into the pieces of cloth Miuro was using as bandages._

_"Who..you...?" she tried again._

_"I'm Miuro. Your safe here."_

_She was breathing heavily and sweating with the effort to just keep her eyes open. "Kagome." she said._

_"What?" Miuro asked but she had already blacked out again._

**_"She didn't wake again for days. I tried my best to give her water and food. Mostly fruits that I had mashed up until they were almost liquid. She didn't seem to get any better."_**

_Miuro was sharpening a stake when she woke again._

_"Kagome!" she said kneeling next to her._

_She seemed much more lucid this time. "Miuro?" she whispered._

_"Yes, it's me."_

_Kagome looked down and examined herself. She smiled, very faintly. "It seems....I am bleeding to death."_

_Miuro looked at the bandages. Just as the ones she had put on before, they were soaked through with her blood._

_"Hold on. I'll change them real quick."_

_"No. I'll be fine." Kagome said resting her hand on the blood soaked cloth._

_"I need to put more salve on it." Miuro protested._

_"Your herbs can do nothing." Kagome said. "I will fix it myself."_

_"What...."_

_But Kagome ignored her. Her hand started glowing. It was the same color of green that leaves had when they were put in sunlight._

_Miuro gasped and her eyes got big. Kagome was chanting some thing but Miuro couldn't understand._

_She stayed that way for two minutes before her head dropped back onto the pillow._

_Miuro hastily unwrapped the bandages but the wound was gone. She touched the new skin as if she couldn't belive it was there. "Impossible."_

**_"It wasn't the first time I had seen magic, just the first time I had seen it controlled."_**

_"What did you do?" Miuro asked Kagome. She was sitting up in the small cot eating some of the mashed fruit._

_"Magic. Healing magic." Kagome said. Her eyes still held a shadow of pain but mostly she was almost cured._

_"Magic." Miuro said testing the word._

_"You do not know magic?" Kagome asked kindly._

_Miuro shook her head._

_"Well you should." Kagome placed her bandaged hand on Miuro's forehead. "You have the gift as well."_

_Miuro looked up in shock. "What I can do is magic?" she asked._

_"So you can do magic?" Kagome asked._

_Miuro shook her head. "What I can do is just evil. It is of no use to anyone." she felt tears prick her eyes._

_Kagome looked surprised. "Oh, little one. Why would you say such a thing?"_

_"Leave me alone!" Miuro yelled._

_Kagome yanked her hand back with a yelp as if she had been burned._

_"Miuro control yourself!" she cried._

**_"Where I was from, magic was unheard of. So it was never taught to me. I couldn't control my powers and when I got too emotional they would spill out of me, usually in deadly forms."_**

_"NO!" Miuro yelled looking at herself. She was glowing dark blue and it was pulsing off her in waves._

_"Miuro calm down!" Kagome said forcing herself to stand though it hurt more than she could say._

_"Not again!" Miuro cried tears pouring down her face._

**_"The last time it had happened I had killed my family with the power I couldn't control or understand. So I moved to the forest where the only thing I could harm were trees."_**

_Kagome ran forward and put her hands about Miuro's neck._

_"Calm down, Miuro. Your emotions will drive it out of control."_

_Miuro hiccuped but couldn't stop the power._

_"Get away! I'll kill you too!" It wasn't a threat, It was a warning._

_Kagome started glowing too. It was a calmer blue than Miuro's. She started humming as a mother would to her child to calm him down. She rocked Miuro back and forth and whispered sweet things in her ear._

_Miuro hiccuped again and found the surge of emotion that had started her in the first place slowing down and stopping._

**_"She held me like that, like a mother would, until my powers had calmed down again. It wasn't until after I was asleep did she let go."_**

**_*Present*_**

"She taught me from then on. How to control what I had. It was hard work. Magic is hard work as surely as swinging a sword and pounding a hammer." Miuro looked up at Inuyasha who had been driven to silence. "You can't know all of the power and energy she puts into protecting us. But I will be there from now on. When I say she has had enough, it is time to stop."

Inuyasha could think of no argument.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yay, no more school for me!! (For the summer at least)


	16. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

Well as this is my least popular story I think I will start writing the ending. That's right, this story, not in this chapter though, will come to an end soon. Enjoy the last chapters of Bewitched.

**Chapter 15**

"We're going to what?" Sango asked simultaneously slapping Miroku's creeping hand away.

"You heard us. We think it's time." Inuyasha said.

"You can't be serious?" she asked looking around.

Kagome, Miuro, Inuyasha, Miroku, and herself were all sitting around table discussing this as if it was nothing.

"The spirits say it is time." Kagome said. Miuro was on Kagome's side from the first and Inuyasha was the one who had thought of it. Miroku was game but Sango just couldn't wrap her mind around the idea.

"Think of what your saying." she said.

"It is a good plan to me." Miuro stated.

"It's not a good plan! It's an insane plan!" she cried.

"What's wrong with it?" Kagome asked checking the notes.

"The entire thing is wrong with it!" Sango. "Your planning on taking over a freaking kingdom!!!"

"Actually, we're planning on taking back a kingdom." Miroku said grabbing her hand and kissing it, trying to distract her.

It didn't work.

"But really..."

"I think it's a good plan." Nami said stepping out from seemingly no where.

"Why are you here?" Inuyasha asked her.

"Utaro and me were taking a break when Ulage asked me to deliver a message. Kagome, the witches say they're all ready to go."

"Great. Thanks Nami." she smiled.

Nami stared at her for a second. "Are you sure we've never met?" she asked again. From the first time she had seen Kagome she had been positive she had seen her before.

"Have we?" Kagome asked, as she always did, in return.

"You just seem so familiar."

"Nami, maybe now isn't the time to...."

"No Inuyasha, now is the perfect time." Kagome said.

He rolled his eyes.

"Why does my face look familiar Nami?"

Nami shrugged. "I just know I've seen you before."

"You have." Kagome said giving a straight answer.

"Wha...." Nami said.

"Wha..." Inuyasha repeated.

"Me and Nami have met before." Kagome said. She walked over to her and pushed a strand of her long golden hair behind her ear.

"Tell me Inuyasha, doesn't she look exactly like some one we both knew?" she turned to him.

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked looking her over.

"Look carefully." Kagome said. "Maybe imagine her in a long ballgown with a golden ring about her forehead."

Inuyasha gasped. "The queen!" he said. Then gasped again. "Kia!"

"Huh?" Nami said.

"But...but Kia died." he protested.

"Kia?" Miroku asked though not as if he was curious.

"We thought she had died." Kagome said. "As it was, she was the only one left alive on the palace grounds.

"Little Kia." Inuyasha grabbed her face and looked her over as if he had never seen her before. "Her eyes. They're her father's eyes. How come I never noticed?"

"What are you talking about?" Nami asked confused.

"Princess Kia." Sango said. "I heard a rumor once, years and years ago that she had lived but...."

"I don't know what your talking about!" Nami cried.

"Kagome." Miroku said suddenly looking dead at her.

She smiled slightly and looked back. "Yes, Miroku."

"Why did you save every one else, but not Kia?" he had a funny look on his face. It was uncharacteristically serious.

"Miroku?" Sango said kind of worried. He ignored her.

"I had permission only to save us four." she said.

"Kagome your not supposed to reveal his past!" Inuyasha said.

"There is nothing to reveal if he has already regained his memory." she told him calmly.

"What?" Sango said. "You know who you are?"

"What I want to know is why you didn't save my sister." Miroku said looking fierce.

"He has a point." Inuyasha said looking at her with distrust.

"Sister?" Nami repeated. No one paid attention.

"You don't seem to understand." Kagome said just as calm as she had been minutes before. "The power I used to transport us to our different locations was not mine. It was the spirit's. They used me as a channel for the power they released. The only thing I did was to heal Inuyasha and wipe your memories clean."

"That is another point. Why did you wipe them at all? And why hers?" he pointed to Nami.

"Miroku think." Kagome said. "Had you remembered you would have gone running off to the palace to avenge your family and win back your kingdom, probably before you were even fully healed."

"You're damn right I would!" Miroku said raising his voice for the first time in memory.

"And then where would we be." Kagome asked. "You know the prophecy as well as I. You know all four of us are needed."

Inuyasha scoffed. "The prophecy again?"

"You still do not believe. Even after all of this proof."

"It is not true. No mystical warriors will save our kingdom, we will!"

"We are those 'mystical warroirs', as you call them. We are what will save the kingdom, and no other." Kagome gave him a hard look.

"And Kia?" Miroku asked gesturing towards Nami. "Why wipe her memories?"

Kagome finally stopped looking calm. In fact she looked on the verge of tears. "It was not I that erased her past. She did it herself."

"What? But I have no magic even if I was this Princess Kia." she said.

Kagome took her hand. "I'm afraid there is no doubt you are the princess. And you did not erase them with magic. The memories were too much for you to bear and so your brain has locked them away so they will not harm you. You cannot remember because you do not want to remember."

"But..." Nami sighed as she thought back. "My earliest memory is escaping the Emperor's dungeon. The time I spent there and even before that is blank."

Inuyasha put his hand on her shoulder and Miroku stood and walked around to her.

"There is a chance her memory will never recover." Kagome said placing her hand on Nami's forehead. "But it is up to you. Do you want to be Princess Kia or the little orphan girl, Nami?"

She looked up at Kagome and thought back on her life. Her first important decision in life was not what she thought it would be. It wasn't even choosing this, her name and herself.

"Utaro asked me to marry him." she said at last.

No one spoke.

"I said yes. But will being Kia change his mind?" she asked Kagome who seemed to be the wisest of them all.

Kagome smiled and brushed back her hair. "The name doesn't change anything. You can call a rose anything you want and still it will remain a rose. What you will choose is if you want to be princess again or not."

She thought it over. "Utaro will love me no matter what title I pick. Is that what your saying?" Kagome nodded. "In that case. I want to be...."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The rest my dear readers is up to you. Will she become a princess again or will she stay as Nami?


	17. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

I got the votes in for Nami/Kia's identity. (btw, inu-youknow2112, that your cousins name was weirdly put in my story is AWESOME!! That's such a weird coincidence.) And I got my longest and most favorite reviewer back. (She leaves me like...novels as reviews.) But in answer to your many many questions. Juniors in America are people in their 3rd year of high school. Freshman are first, then sophomores, juniors, and seniors is the last year. So yay only two more years for me. Then collage. Now I'm bummed again. No, I have not gotten better, I am still sick though now it is much worse than last time. However with my friend Tylenol I am getter better. *eats one of your cookies* Mmm, delicious. Anyway, glad you like my story. The reason I can update so fast is a combinations of a few things: 1. I type fast. Usually I misspell almost everything. But I type fast. 2. School is over and now, until I start my job today(whoohoo) I have a lot of free time. 3. I remind you of a princess? That's so awesome. No one has ever told me that before. It's not even a reason I update so quickly but I ran out of reasons. So thanks, enough babbling. Here is the chapter I promised.

**Chapter 16**

"I want to be...I don't know who I want to be." she said biting her lip.

Kagome looked at her. "I know. Take time to find out. You don't have to decide now, just think of what you want, and what Utaro wants."

Nami nodded.

* * *

"What do you think?" Miroku asked Sango later. They were in her room and Miroku had been trying, in vain, to get Sango to agree with the plan.

"I already told you what I think." Sango grumbled. "Although I would like to get my hands on Jenji," She took a deep breath as if to calm herself down. "I just don't know if we're ready or not."

"Have you told Inuyasha about Jenji yet?" he asked momentarily distracted.

She shook her head. "No. I forgot in all the excitement. I'll have to soon I expect. I'm surprised he hasn't noticed he was missing."

Miroku shrugged. "Knowing Inuyasha," he paused and thought about how wonderful it was he could know Inuyasha. Having all of his memories back was as heady as drinking a cold drink on a hot day. Just to be able to know himself again was something he would not take advantage of. "Knowing Inuyasha he probably forgot about him. As they say, 'out of sight, out of mind.' No doubt he'll remember soon enough. But that wasn't what I was asking about."

"No?" she asked.

"No. Actually, I was talking about what happened in the meeting room." Miroku said.

"Oh with Nami or...Kia or whatever she decides to be called?" Sango pulled her blankets down so she could climb into bed after Miroku left. "Well she's almost an adult now. I have no doubt she will make the right decision for her and Utaro."

Miroku smiled as she started removing her weapons. All except one which she hid under her pillow. "No, I wasn't talking about that either." He got up and walked around to her and pinned her between himself and the bed. "I meant what do you think about my past? About who I really am."

Sango tried to keep her distance from him but he closed her in. "Well I uh....That's fine. I mean...." Why was she having trouble talking? Why was her face so hot?

Miroku leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Sango, my dear, you have such a pretty face when you blush."

Her breathing was getting heavy and she could tell he knew by the smirk on his face.

He placed his hand on her hip and started kissing her neck.

"W...Wait, MirokU!" Her voice went high as he hit a particularly sensitive part of her neck.

He stayed on that spot making it hard for her to think.

"You are the most amazing woman I have ever met, in either of my lives." he said nuzzling her collar and working off her shirt. "So strong, so sweet." he kissed his way up her neck. Her eyes were glazed with desire. "I can't stop thinking about you. I can't get you out of my head."

He grabbed her face and looked deep into her eyes.

She saw reflected in his eyes the same emotions in hers.

"And I don't want to." and he toppled with her back onto her bed.

* * *

"Wow." Utaro said quietly.

Nami/Kia was biting her lip nervously and playing with her hair just to keep her hands busy. She had told Utaro everything she had been told. She was determined to keep him in her life and it wasn't just about her anymore, he had a say in her life now as well. He deserved to know.

"That's...wow."

"Yeah." she said. They were in their room, it used to be just Nami/Kia's but once they got engaged they decided to share a room. They were sitting side by side on their bed.

"Well? Who are you going to be?" he asked at last.

"I don't know yet. I just....I don't know." she couldn't look him in the eye.

"Hey." he put his arm around her shoulder. "Kagome is right. Whatever you pick, I'll be here, no matter what."

She leaned into his touch glad he was there to offer comfort. "If I stay as Nami, I'll know who am. I'll have everything I remember. If I become Kia I can help the Kingdom better which is what I've always wanted."

"That's not true." Utaro shook his head. "Even if you become Kia you'll stay exactly the same. You'll just be royalty."

"Do you want to be royalty?" Nami/Kia asked him.

He shrugged. "If it's what you want."

"That doesn't help." she said pushing him gently.

"You don't have to decide right now." he said.

"I just wish some one would tell me which one I should be." she said frustrated.

"Then it wouldn't be your choice." he said picking her up easily and putting her on his lap. Used to this, she set her head on his shoulder and relaxed as he stroked her hair.

* * *

"Are you sure we should go through this?" Inuyasha asked Kagome as they walked through the city of trees. Miuro, normally at Kagome's side at all times, had disappeared to check on the border then retire to her quarters.

Kagome shrugged. "I don't see how waiting much longer could make much of a difference. We're already as strong as both of our armies could be."

"I know but still...."

"Your just nervous. Ten years of preparing but not acting can do that to you." she said as they started crossing one of the many rope bridges.

"Can you blame me?" he asked.

"Not really." she shook her head. "It's a big step. But we've done everything we can."

"I guess the spirits told you it's time to move?" he said helping her up the ledge that connected the bridge to the next tree.

She shook her head. "The spirits don't know everything. Some times it's up to the people about who prophecies are written to change the world."

"The prophecy again." Inuyasha said sounding more resigned than anything.

"When will you believe it's real?" she asked with a smile as they walked into her large room.

As the leader, her room was as big as Inuyasha's. They had both gone there to continue to talk of the plan and there was already a meal for two waiting.

"Believe it's real? I don't even remember it any more." he said throwing up his hands in frustration as they sat down in front of their food.

"The heavenly kingdom will one day die it's buildings will crumple, it's people will fall Blood red smoke to fill the sky. There is no hope, the land will be lost; But where the armies will fail, killed by demons of legend, No longer a child's tale There will be four The Monk who is not The Power of nature The Slayer almost forgot And the most powerful of all From alone to a team From hatred to love These will rein supreme But they make it together, or not at all. And for it to succeed they all must Learn to love Learn to trust Or the heavenly kingdom, has no chance." She recited.

"Show off." he mumbled.

"Don't you see? The first part already came true. The heavenly kingdom did fall. There was nothing anyone could have done." She took a bite of her food. "The demons of legend do not refer to demons like you or Utaro. They mean the mages. Users of blood magic. The four it spoke of is us. Miroku, the monk who is not."

"That makes no sence." Inuyasha pointed out. "How can you be something but not?"

"He was monk for his second life. In his first life he was a prince. Two different men who are exactly the same. He is a monk, yet he is not."

"The Power of nature?"

"Me. Obviously. A witch gets her power naturally. Nature."

"The Slayer almost forgot?" he asked.

She smiled. "That is a tale you will have to ask Sango about. It is not for me to tell of her past."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Of course not. So by process of elimination, I'm the most powerful of all?"

Kagome nodded once. "Of course. With a blade you are unbeatable."

"And the last part? From hatred to love?" he asked.

Kagome laughed. "That one is not obvious?"

He shook his head. "Not really."

"Sango, when she first met Miroku, hated his guts." she explained. "She didn't like how he was so easily able to find her or keep up with her in battle. Now what do you think they are doing?" she asked with a smile.

"Well how should Oh that is gross! How would you know that? Why would you want to?" he asked.

"It is clear when you know Miroku. Besides, they went to her room together and still haven't returned."

"You really are watching us arn't you?" he asked his eyes narrowed wondering what she knew.

"Don't worry. I don't watch you in the privacy of your own room." she promised.

"Small comfort." he mumbled.

She pretended not to hear him. "And can you honestly say you still hate me as you did at the palace?"

Inuyasha blushed red. "Hey just because...that doesn't mean...uh..."

Kagome giggled. "I do not hate you. You can know that."

Inuyasha looked away. "Yeah, I guess I uh....I guess I don't hate you either."

She smiled wide. "From you that really is like a proclamation of love."

"Hey!" he said but she was already laughing.

"I'm joking. Calm down."

They finished their meal in silence.

He was about to leave her room when she stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Maybe you should know. I don't hate you. I never have. The spirit's prophecy are just words. It is up to people to make them reality. The prophecy doesn't say we will get the kingdom back, it says we might get the kingdom back. So if I do fall in love with you, it is because that is how I truly feel not because that is what the spirits say must happen."

He looked down at her his face a little red again. "Yeah I....Well I really don't know but...I understand I...I think"

She stood on the tips of her feet and kissed his cheek. "Good night." she said.

"Night." he said back quietly and left her room.

* * *

Kagome woke up to a soft knocking at her door.

Wearily, she climbed out of bed and answered it.

"Inuyasha? What's wrong?" she asked.

He was standing in her doorway in a pair of breeches with his hair down looking like he hadn't slept at all.

"It's the middle of the night, what is it?" she asked again.

"I can't stop thinking about you." he said not knowing he was echoing Miroku's earlier words. "I've tried to sleep but I can't."

"Would you like some sleeping potion?" she asked knowing he didn't.

"No." he said walking in and shutting the door behind him.

Already his mouth was clasped on hers and his hands were in her hair yanking it out of the braid she kept it in while she slept.

She was too busy running her hands up and down his toned chest to care.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There I hope that is sufficient fluff for all of my stories. Just so everyone knows, I slept for almost 15 hours and I feel great if a little weak. I heard you get like that when you get over a bad bout of the flu. And there is a reason Nami/Kia didn't pick who she wanted to be. Cause I got more 'I don't cares' and 'I don't knows' than choices. So :P! Lol.


	18. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

Well here we go again!

**Chapter 17**

Kagome nestled in closer to the warmth beside her in her bed. She had never felt so relaxed. The sun was shining in her room and falling on her just enough to wake her up.

The warmth groaned and mumbled. "Turn off the light."

Kagome giggled and turned around in his arms.

His eyes were still closed but his ears twitched as she moved and his arms adjusted to her new position.

"It's time to get up." she said. But despite her words she was cuddling in closer and wrapping her arms around him as if she didn't want to ever let go.

"In a few hours." he grumbled.

"No, we have a revolution to prepare for. No time for sleeping in." she said with a smile and a playful smack on his shoulder.

"Five more minutes, mom." he said nuzzling her neck.

Kagome tilted her head back to give him better access. "No more time for sleeping." she said her voice getting deep with desire.

"Who said I wanted to sleep?" Inuyasha asked rolling over on top of her.

* * *

"Sango, my love?" Miroku said walking up behind her.

"What did I tell you about calling me that?" Sango asked glaring at him.

"Umm..." Miroku pretended to think. "Don't?"

"Exactly. So why are you calling me that?"

"Because I love you so much." Miroku said wrapping his arms around her in a big hug.

The men Sango had been talking to starting chuckling. They were old friends of Sango's and knew their trainer's rules. Miroku was about to learn what happened when you broke the ones she set down as lovers.

Sango reached up slowly and grabbed his hands. Then in a quick motion, secured his weight on her shoulders and threw him behind her.

"Ow." Miroku said calmly from where he had landed. He was still smiling.

"What are my rules?" Sango asked glaring at him.

"No touching. No pet names. No hand holding. No coddling. No cuddling. And what was the last one?" he asked standing up.

"No public displays of affection." Sango said. "And that counts as public displays of affection."

"I am very sorry, my dear." Miroku said and he was suddenly holding her hand and rubbing it up and down against his cheek.

"Knock it off!" Sango yelled punching him away.

"Sango, have you seen Kagome?" Miuro asked looking at Miroku.

"No, I haven't. Why?" Sango asked looking happier as she took her eyes off of Miroku.

"I need to speak with her about weapons." Miuro shrugged. "I haven't seen her today. Do you think she's still in her room?"

"Might be." Sango said. "Want me to....PERVERT!" Miroku suddenly went flying. He landed in a heap the hand he had touched Sango's butt with twitching in mid air. "Anyway, want me to check?"

"No, I can do it. Thanks anyway." Miuro walked away.

"And what are you laughing at?" Sango asked glaring at her men.

"Nothing, ma'am." They said. All of them stopped laughing and stood up straight.

"I thought so." Sango said. "Miroku get up and fall in line."

"Yes, my dear." he answered and got up.

"Woh. He's still conscious?" Some one asked.

"Stop calling me dear!" She yelled.

"Sango!" Shippo yelled bouncing up to her.

"Yeah, Shippo?" she asked.

"Have you seen Inuyasha?"

"No. Him and Kagome seemed to be missing." she shrugged. "Their probably holed up in her office talking about leader type things."

* * *

Inuyasha was sitting on the bed in only the pants he had shown up at her door in. Kagome was behind him already dressed pulling back her hair.

They were indeed talking about the plan however they were in her room.

"I'm telling you catapults would cause more damage." Inuyasha was saying.

"And I told you, the flaming arrows are much more practical." Kagome answered. "We don't want to destroy the palace completely."

"Kagome, are you in...Oh." Miuro stopped dead and looked between Inuyasha and Kagome who had both turned at her un-announced entrance.

"Miuro are they in there?" Shippo asked jumping up onto her shoulder.

He stared at them for a second then asked, "What are two talking in here for? And why are you only in your pants Inuyasha?" His face was open an innocent.

"I need to speak with you later." Miuro said glaring at Kagome then she left with Shippo asking her what was wrong on her shoulder.

There was silence for a second then Inuyasha said, with a stab at humor, "I think she took it well."

* * *

"Here you go." Shippo said handing him a stack of reports.

"Thanks." Inuyasha said looking them over and grabbing a clean pair of clothes at the same time.

"Inuyasha why were in Kagome's room?" he asked again.

"We were talking." Inuyasha said absently flipping to the second page.

"About what?"

"Stuff." He slid on a different pair of pants.

"What kind of stuff?"

"Leader-type stuff."

Shippo giggled. "That's what Sango said."

"Well she was right." He said flipping to the next page. "Shippo, are you sure these are right?"

"Uh-huh. I got them just like I normally do." he scratched his nose, not a care in the world.

"This can't be right." Inuyasha said grabbing the stack of papers and riffling through them.

"What can't be right?" Shippo asked jumping onto his shoulder.

"The weapons log. We didn't have this many of..._any_of these." He set the papers down and finished dressing. "I need to talk to Kagome."

* * *

"How could you?" Miuro asked pacing in front of Kagome's desk like Inuyasha had done not long ago.

"I don't see how it's any of your business." Kagome said searching her bookshelves for something.

"Bedding that half-demon? At this time? Kagome, really." Miuro put her hands on her hips and glared at her.

Kagome didn't even turn around. "That half-demon has a name. And whom I bed and when is my decision not yours."

"You could get a disease! You could get pregnant!" Miuro cried as she resumed her pacing. "Oh, this would be a terrible time to find yourself with child! On the eve of our revolution!"

Kagome grabbed a red book and opened it saying at the same time, "I am not with child. I did keep my mind long enough to preform a simple anti-pregnancy spell. Again, not any of your business."

"But Kagome..."

"I wonder," Kagome said shutting the book and cutting her off. "if it's not the fact that it was Inuyasha whom I shared my bed with that bothers you and not that I shared my bed at all." She slipped the book back on its shelf and resumed her search.

Miuro took a deep breath and said in a much calmer voice. "It is true, I do not like the half-demon. But that is not why I am worried."

"You have no reason to be worried." Kagome said finally turning around. "Nothing I did affected my army nor his. This did not affect my magic, this did not affect my body, much. In fact I am much more relaxed now than I was yesterday. I fell stronger and my strength feels some what replenished."

Kagome turned back to the bookshelf and grabbed another red book. She took this one to her desk without looking inside it.

When she had set the book down she turned to Miuro, who had stopped pacing, and looked at her kindly. "I know how you feel about me. You think of me as a mentor, as a friend, a leader, and a mother. You are completely devoted to me. And I thank the spirits everyday for that gift and that trust." she set her hands on her shoulders. "But Miuro it is time for you to move on. Time for you to find your own place in life. Find a path of your own to walk and leave mine. After this war is over, I want you to leave my side. I want you to find who you are without standing in my shadow."

Miuro looked down at Kagome a little shocked. "But..."

Kagome shook her head. "I have taught you everything I can. There is nothing more you can learn from me. So I want you to leave. Steer your own course. I will always love you like a daughter and respect you as a person and a witch but it is time for you to leave the nest."

Miuro bit her lip and the large woman who inspired terror in people at a mere glance at times, had a sparkle of fear in her eyes. "I can't do that."

"You can." Kagome said firmly. "And you will. I need you as my general for now. But promise me you will leave here after this war."

"Kagome..."

"Promise me."

"I don't..."

"Your word, Miuro."

"....Fine."

"Thank you." Kagome said brushing back one of her braids from her face.

She stepped back and returned to her book leaving Miuro in her own thoughts.

Some one knocked then entered.

"Kagome." Inuyasha said then caught sight of Miuro.

His defenses went up at the sight of her and Kagome looked up at them curiously.

After a minute Miuro said, "I have wronged you, half-demon."

Inuyasha's mouth went slack with surprise. Miuro hurried on looking like she was trying to say it all at once before she lost her nerve. "I have hated you with no good reason and I nearly let that hatred blind me. You have done nothing to deserve my wrath and everything to earn my trust. Forgive me." she bowed her head.

"Uh..." Inuyasha was stunned into silence for a second. "For...Forget it."

Miuro raised her head and looked back at him, for once her face was not full of malice.

"Yes, Inuyasha?" Kagome said after a second when it appeared neither of them would speak again.

"Oh, yeah?" He seemed to come back to himself and turned his gaze on Kagome. "I was wondering about my people's weapons...?"

"Oh, yes." Miuro said turning to Kagome as well. "That is what I wanted to tell you. The weapons we made for Inuyasha's people have been distributed and yours awaits you in the vault."

"Wait. You gave us those weapons?" Inuyasha asked walking in.

"We have been preparing for your arrival for many years." Miuro said. "And we had weapons ready for your use. That is why we did not transport them with you when we retrieved you from the capitol."

"Me as well?" Inuyasha asked as Kagome poured over her book.

"Almost." Miuro said. "Your weapon is not quite ready yet. Just a few more adjustments and it should be done."

"What kind of adjustments?" Inuyasha asked confused.

Instead of answering, Miuro turned to Kagome.

Kagome nodded. "Yep. It's right here. I knew I had read it some where."

Inuyasha looked at the book too but it was full of odd symbols he couldn't read. Symbols he faintly recognized. "Where have I seen that writing before?"

"It is on the Prophecy Wall at the palace." Kagome answered marking her page and shutting the book. She handed it to Miuro as understanding dawned on Inuyasha. "Just tell them to follow that formula and it should be ready by the time we leave tomorrow."

Miuro grabbed the book and left.

Inuyasha let out a breath of air. "I can't believe it. After all this time and we treat this day almost like any other."

"Not quite." Kagome said getting up and walking to his side. "Today is the last day of our peace. Tomorrow we march to battle. So tonight we will drink in celebration and remind ourselves of why we are fighting. Our reasons to live."

Inuyasha took her in his arms where she set her head on his shoulder.

"You are my reason to live." he said quietly without realizing that was the truth of his thoughts.

Kagome looked up at him shock in her eyes.

He chuckled.

"What is so funny?" she asked.

He shook his head and started playing with a lock of her hair. "That's the first time I've ever caught you by surprise."

Kagome shook her head but smiled. "You're silly."

"I'm in love." He said smiling widely. He let out a large laugh of surprise at what he said and the truth of it. He picked her up and spun her in a circle and shouted, "I'm in love!"

Kagome bent down and kissed him making him stop. "As am I. I have been in love for many years."

"Years?" he asked looking up her the very love he spoke of shining in his eyes.

"For longer than the resistance has been alive, before the palace fell, I loved you. But you detested me. Oh how that hurt me." she placed her forehead against his.

"Let me make it up to you. This is the day to remind us of why we are fighting. Let me spend it loving you."

He kissed her gently and she melted in his arms.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

....


	19. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

Almost over

**Chapter 18**

Kagome pulled back her hair and bound it tight to keep it out of her face. She hadn't used magic in 24 hours and had even let the barrier surrounding Havana disappear so she could rest and have all of her powers available to her.

Her armor wasn't the heavy metal that Inuyasha and Sango would be wearing. She wasn't going to be on the front lines but rather working her magic from behind. Her armor was thick padded leather that, while ineffective with sword blows, was able to keep arrows from penetrating too deep. She had on long black boots that reached her knees with tiny metal plates to protect her shins and knees and ankles. She had on gauntlets of the same design and a metal band to protect her throat. All of it was imbued with protective magics that the armorers put on them.

"My lady." a red headed witch said bowing to her and holding out her enchanted arrows.

Kagome took them and strapped them to her back securely.

"I'm ready." she said firmly.

* * *

Sango had to have help securing the heavy metal armor to her black leather under clothes.

"I've never seen anyone half as fetching." Miroku said as three of her warriors tied on the breast plate.

"Your only saying that because you know I can't hit you right now." Sango said glaring at him.

"True, true. I must admit it is nice to praise you without a fist flying towards me." Miroku smiled innocently.

Sango growled but before she could do any thing more two muscled men came over carrying the most peculiar weapon.

"Is that...?" Sango held out her hands where they placed the over large boomerang. "How did you...?"

A witch with the callused hands of a weapons maker walked over to her. "Kagome directed me in its creation." she told her. "It was an odd weapon to make and took me a long time to get it right but she said it was the best weapon you could manipulate. Treat it well. It was impossibly hard to create."

She slapped her on the back and walked away.

"What is that?" Miroku asked as Sango ran her hands up and down the smooth surface that was harder than stone.

"It's beautiful." Sango said. "It's has to be ten times better than my last one." She grabbed it and made a motion as if she was about to throw it but it never left her hand.

She straitened and looked it over with respect and happiness glowing in her eyes. "It's so perfectly balanced."

"What is it?" Miroku asked again.

"A haraikostu." she said holding it from behind her back. "How Kagome knew I could fight with one I have no idea."

"Well she's Kagome." Miroku said simply. "She's always known more than you think she would. Where did you learn to fight with one."

"From my family." Sango said setting her haraikostu down so she could attach her elbow and knee guards.

"Your family?"

* * *

"Sir?" A pretty and small thing said coming up behind him.

"What?" Inuyasha asked pulling back his hair. It had been a while since he had planned before going into battle and the nerves were killing him and making his voice gruffer than normal. He was already dressed in full armor but his waist was bare of a weapon. Kagome promised that she would send him his new one.

He looked at the girl and saw the shiny new sheath in her hands.

"Your sword, sir." she held it out but he had already turned and around and took the blade from her.

He drew it out then looked in shock. The blade was busted up and dull.

"Is this a joke?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Sorry, sir, but with the last minute preparations being done there was nothing we could do about it in that form."

"What form?" he asked confused.

"Release it fully from it's sheath." she told him.

Skeptical, he did as he was told. No sooner had the last piece of the hunk of metal left the sheath than it transformed in a flash of light.

"Woh." Inuyasha said in awe staring at the suddenly large and very lethal looking blade in his hands.

"It is called Tetsaiga." she told him. "Kagome has ordered us not to tell you of its properties. Only that the original blade looks so shabby because of the amount of magic we had to use on it."

"So you can't tell me what it can do?" Inuyasha asked. Even he could feel the power rushing up and down the length of the blade.

"No, sir. Kagome said to let you find out in your own time." she bowed her head and left.

Inuyasha placed the tip at the opening of the sheath and the blade obediently shrank down to its normal beat up size.

Smiling, he tied it securly to his waist.

* * *

Miroku was on his own now. Sango had left him to practice with a weapon she hadn't used in ten years. He was trying to place himself in a trance but her words flew unbidden through his mind. Images from the story she had told flickered in his brain.

An ugly and hair spider demon.

A boy, that Miroku imagined looked like Sango, slicing apart his family.

Sango trying to fight him, hating to harm him, needing to save him.

Him stabbing her in the back. Stabbing himself.

Sango waking up and seeing a tiny offspring of the large spider demon falling of her brothers neck where it had controlled his body.

Finally slaying the demon with tears in her eyes, it was too late. Her family and tribe had already been killed.

Sinking to her knees with the pieces of her old haraikostu laying about her.

The only one left of a forgoten tribe.

A tribe that was killed on the Emperor's orders.

He sighed wishing the images would leave his brain. He cursed his over-active imagination and tried again to relax.

He didn't need armor though he wore it, leather much like Kagome's. He had a short sword at his waist but his main weapon, a staff, was laying to his side.

A warlock, one of the few men of Kagome's, had shown up and handed it to him. He said that the staff had been traveling for years being blessed by many powerful monks. Miroku had almost been overwhelmed at the amount of holy powers in the small length of wood.

Right now he was trying to bless the stack of sacred sutras in front of him.

If he could concentrate. But when Sango's story wasn't flying through his brain thoughts of the battle to come and his parents' broken bodies was.

Trying a differant aproach, he filled his mind with nothing but his parents. His old life, and watching it being stolen from him.

He let his anger be his power for blessing the sutras.

* * *

Nami/Kia was strapping on her own armor with Utaro behind her doing the same, though with his stronger demon body he hardly needed it. Her thoughts were on the same subject the had been on for days.

Her identity.

"Maybe I should." she said breaking the silence.

"Should what?" Utaro asked attaching his brand new brass knuckles.

"Become Kia again." she sat down on their bed looking at the new armor and twin short swords at her sides.

"Do you want to?" he asked sitting next to her.

"I don't know." she shook her head. "I've been having dreams lately."

"Dreams?"

"Just flashes and strange. All of them are strange. Some times they're of a dark dungeon, I know what that is." she said certainly.

"Your impresonment." he said taking her hand.

"But then there are others. A large room with a big pink bed. Or people. Miroku and these other two I can't really remember. They look just like me."

"Your parents."

"I think so." she looked at her hand. "I've been fighting in the resistance for so long and I've never questioned why I was in the dungeon." she closed her hand into a fist.

"I will." she said certainly.

Utaro looked at her. Such strength and beauty. He could easily imagine her on a throne commanding her people. "You will what?"

"I will become Kia." she said certainly. "So if anything happens to Miroku I can take over in his place. I will win my kingdom back and I will avenge my parents."

Their smiling faces jumped into her head, for just a split second and she knew she had made the right decision.

"Kia?" Utaro asked.

She smiled at the sound of her new, yet old, name.

"What?"

"I love you." he said and kissed her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Battle starts next chapter!!!


	20. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

And major awesome revolutionary battle...COMMENCE!!!!

**Chapter 19**

They didn't march onward towards battle and attempt to overrun everything as the Emperor had. They didn't have as large of an army as he had. Their power was in their element of surprise and the fact that their people had better training and weapons and, most importantly, they had a reason to fight, a reason that they couldn't loose because if they did it would mean terror and pain for everyone, not just themselves.

They left in segments so they could move their large army through the city without getting detected until they chose to be.

Sango and a large battalion of men had left first. Miroku had held her close to him despite her protests.

"The next time I see you, it might be your corpse. Let me hold you." She had looked at her men. Most of them had someone in their arms. Siblings, parents, wives, lovers, friends. No one was even looking at her.

She sighed and wrapped her arms around him and knelt into his chest. She had never felt so nervous before battle before. In fact she had never felt nervous before battle at all. But now she felt them tearing at her insides threatening to claw her apart. In Miroku's arms it faded.

"Ready men?" Kagome yelled from the balcony.

There was a few last minute hugs and kissed and the warriors fell in line, Sango at their head.

"You are the front lines." Kagome said looking down at them all, her heart crying because she knew she wouldn't see some of them alive again. "Our hopes lay with you first. You decide when the battle starts. You will be the ones to start the fear in our dear Emperor's heart. You will give the common man hope first. We already have people in the city ready to pick up arms once you start the battle."

She raised her hand towards an empty arch and let her power flow out of her. She felt many other powers joining hers until the gate had been built and stood open and ready.

"Our prayers go with you." Was all Kagome said.

"Come on you little girls!" Sango said who was at the back because the portal had opened behind the ranks. "Move it or I'll push you through!"

They yelled and cried and hollered and ran through the portal into the forest surrounding the city.

It closed as Sango ran through and the next set of ranks set up in front of her.

"Well this is me." Miroku said leaving the balcony and walking in front of the people he lead. It was a much smaller group, only about ten or 15 people. All of them had dressed in rags with their weapons hidden somewhere about their person. All but Miroku who was dressed in his monks livery. they were to be taken right into the heart of the city. Miroku would walk with them pretending to be a monk on a holy mission to round up the homeless and poor, which happened often in the capitol, until he heard the fighting start. Only then would his small band of men and witches reveal themselves and cause as much mischief as possible.

The portal opened again this time to an empty ally somewhere in the capitol.

They walked through, some of the 'poor' people 'limping'.

The portal closed and the next line of people appeared..

"Miuro, these are yours I believe?" Kagome said trying to not let the tears she felt in her eyes fall. No matter what she said about wanting her to be independent, she still loved her like a daughter.

Miuro nodded and walked down towards her army. It was made mostly of witches and archers. These were to be stationed where the mages had been placed.

This time the portal went up without Kagome's help, and they ran through.

Utaro's regiment came up next. He didn't lead it, he was just in it. It was lead by Inuyasha. They were to be placed just beyond the palace walls in the forest behind the castle.

"Good luck." Kagome said turning to him.

He pulled her close to him and pressed his lips against hers one final time. "Don't get hurt." he said.

"You be careful as well." she said placing her hand on his cheek. "This weapon will guard you." she placed her hand on the hilt.

"Thank you. For the weapon. And for your love." he said staring her in the eyes.

"It is time." Kagome said as the portal erected again.

"I love you." Inuyasha said quickly.

"As I love you. Now go." Kagome wished he would leave. She didn't know how long she could hold on.

He took one last look at her then jumped off the balcony and after his men, who had already walked through.

Kagome sighed as it closed behind him.

The next battalion of soldiers, was all female. Each was scantily clad and each had a basket on her arm filled with fruits. Earlier that day, some of the fruits had been poisoned. Not enough to kill, but enough to make the one who ate it extremely ill. Not every fruit was poisoned either, only a few so the girls wouldn't be suspected.

"Ladies." Kagome nodded to them. Each was a superb fighter with weapons hidden somewhere in their revealing clothing. Each of them was also extremely physically attractive.

This time no portal opened. All of them were witches. They just walked through their own mini-portals into different parts of the castle. Their fruits were for the soldiers on guard. Kia went with them, as the only one who was not a witch, she carried a basket full of water skins that was heavy enough to need two to carry. The girl with her was a witch.

Kagome and her men and women were the last ones left.

"We are the last ones, my children." Kagome said as most of the people under her command were her witches and her few warlocks. "For now, we wait." and they all turned north, toward the capitol.

* * *

Sango was so silent you coudn't even tell she was breathing.

"That's enough time." she whispered at last. Everyone should have gone through their respective portals by now. Miroku, who left right after her, would be roaming the city now, Inuyasha and his gang would wait behind the castle, Miuro must have already had the mages in her sight, and the girls should have been let loose in the palace by now.

"Are you ready men?" she asked the shadows that extended far into the forest behind her.

"Let's go." the man next to her whispered back, a feral grin on his face.

Sango signaled to the archers above their heads, each had some one in the army in their sights.

She didn't see it, but she heard the twangs of many bows being released.

She waited for just a second. One breath taking second.

Then the commotion started.

"Let's go my lambs." She smiled, a smile that would have struck fear into even the soulless golems from the Dead Forest.

All of her men raised and hollared and ran forward. The ones in front first, followed by those behind.

"Destroy it all!" Some one yelled as they burst through the city gates.

* * *

Kia gave out her water with a seductive smile to a very unattractive soldier.

"Mmm." he said taking it from her but not taking his eyes off her.

Kia and her partner giggled and walked on. She was amazed that some one that ugly wasn't surprised that a girl had flirted with him.

The sound of swords clashing and screams drew their attention.

"It has begun." Kia whispered as the guards ran to their weapons. The ones who hadn't dropped from sickness yet.

* * *

"Go!" Miuro yelled as the mages emerged from their barracks at the sound of the commotion. Hands glowing and lightning flashing, her witches ran forward and started attacking the unsuspecting mages.

* * *

Miroku watched with the others as a band of soldiers ran past. Miroku nodded to his people. Those men were on their side.

But the next group wasn't. He shook his head with a smile and his people ran out weapons drawn.

* * *

Inuyasha struck them men away with one swing with his new blade which seemed unbeatable. He hadn't even needed to signal the attack when the ruckus had started. His men had ran forward without a word from him.

They had already taken out the men at the top and had hooked the drawbridge and were attempting to bring it down. They were carefully not touching the water as it had been filled with man-eating fish since he had last visited.

* * *

Kagome heard the cries and clashes of metal on metal with ears enhanced by magic and knew it was time to move.

"Okay children," she said raising her voice and releasing the spell. "Let's go!"

Another portal opened, this on into the palace itself, and her people ran through.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

More action next chapter.


	21. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!**

I am going to tell you the same thing I told the people who read my other story, or if you read both I'll tell you again. I just read a one-shot that was beyond amazing. It was phenomenal. No question. You must all go read it. I know the rating says M but it's really a T and it is really good. It's called Shell Shocked, it's on my favorites so go to my page and click on it and review it because it is just awesome!! So go. Right now. Or after you read this chapter, whatever works. Speaking of which, here's the next chapter!

**Chapter 20**

Naraku clenched the arms of his throne as her heard the crashes and explosions outside.

"They've breached the castle." Kagura said walking into the throne room.

"Rats." Naraku snarled.

"Yes, but they are winning." Kagura said her face expressionless.

"Where are my mages?" he demanded his knuckles turning white and his throne cracking under the pressure of his fists.

"A group of do good witches are keeping them busy." she said.

"And where is Kanna?"

"Outside helping fight."

"And why are you not out there with her?"

Kagura bowed and left without another word.

With no one to see, he snarled allowing his anger to show.

"Rats."

* * *

Inuyasha was soaked in blood, his and others.

His main opponents were demons and right then he was fighting a particularly nasty mantis demon who seemed determined to take his head off.

With a careful swipe he took of the legs on his left side and he collapsed squealing in pain.

Quickly, he thrust his blade through his neck.

After he made sure he was dead, he moved onto his next enemy.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nami, Kia now, he reminded himself, stab some one in his neck with her particularly sharp hair pins. He collapsed chocking on his own blood and she ran off. Utaro, who had found her as soon as he had gotten into the palace, followed after her punching people. The force of which was enough to kill a full grown man.

Inuyasha brought his attention back to himself and the mage that Miuro's group hadn't stopped.

"Oh, I remember you." he growled as the all too familiar mage lifted her glowing red hands and laughed at him in the way that had come to haunt his dreams.

* * *

Miroku's new staff was proving it's worth wonderfully. The few humans that had attacked went down easily as his muscles remembered the fighting style he had forgotten. The one mage he had seen had tried to throw some sort of lightning bolt at him but the holy powers in the staff not only stopped it, but reflected it back at the caster. After seeing that the mages found others in which to fight.

He had lost all of his men who had ran in all different direction once the battle started and he found himself facing a pack of demon cats with three glowing green eyes each.

And incredible strength.

His staff was protecting him well though. No matter how strong the hoard of cats was, his staff didn't break, didn't crack.

He reached in his robe and pulled out three sutras which he deftly threw. Each one landed on a different cats forehead, paralyzing them.

* * *

Kagome ran down hallways that should have been familiar but weren't. The palace had changed from it's previous glorious self to a dark and foreboding castle and almost nothing was the same.

She turned a corner with her bow drawn and prepared to shoot should she have to but it appeared everyone had been driven outside by the fighting.

Well almost everyone.

A woman with black hair and a large fan walked down the long corridor towards her. Her eyes burned red and her face held only contempt.

Kagome's hold on the drawn arrow tightened but she stopped twenty feet away.

"I am Kagura." she said clearly. "The wind sorceress."

Kagome didn't say anything. She waited wondering if the woman was a friend or a foe.

"I'll make this simple." she continued after is was apparent Kagome wasn't going to respond. "I was ordered to kill you."

Kagome eyes got wide and she aimed carefully.

Kagura observed her for a second then pointed to a hallway to her right. "Down there is the dungoun. He has my heart in a jar covered in spells to prevent me from getting near."

Kagome still didn't speak.

"Free my heart and I will not fight you." Kagura said. "Free my heart and I will even help you."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Kagome said still not lowering her weapon.

"You don't." Kagura said without hesitation. "But I am a slave so long as my heart is not mine. All I am after is my own freedom."

Kagome eyed her for a second longer. Then she lowered her weapon. "Very well. Show me."

Kagura nodded and started running down the hall she indicated.

* * *

Sango drew her haraikostu across her body and it flew from her knocking down half the entire army before returning to her hands. She used it's weight for a second to lift her up and kick a particularly large man in the throat.

"Huney!!"

Sango turned at the sound of that much hated voice.

Junichi was smiling down at her from a veranda with his arms crossed and ten archers on either side of him.

"Junichi!" Sango growled.

"Fire." he said simply.

Out of instinct, she placed the haraikostu in front of her and found herself happy that it was larger then her as the sound of twenty arrows bouncing off the surface hit her ears.

Once the sound stopped, she peered from behind her weapon just in time to see Junichi leap from the second story balcony and land smoothly on his feet.

"All well. I perfer it this way." He smiled and drew his sword.

* * *

Miroku was running down the hallways of a castle that held shadows of his memories. He knew who he was but it was still strange to find memories that he had forgotten.

He stopped for a second to block a sword blow and slam his staff into the side of a mans head before running on, his robes billowing behind him.

There was only one place that an Emperor like him would be.

The throne room.

The large graceful oak doors he remembered had been replaced with gold plaited stone doors that he had to force open.

At first he throat he had been wrong. The long room seemed empty. There were torches on the wall that was the only source of light casting red shadows on the wall while keeping the rest of the room in half darkness. The walls had been painted black and the white marble on the floor had been covered with dark wood. Even the large crystal chandelier had been replaced with red crystals that gave the room a hell like appearance.

But upon the black and red velvet throne with a large ruby surrounded by rare black diamonds on the back above his head, was the Emperor dressed in black silk and a white fur cape that looked as if it had come from a baboon.

"Ah. The young prince." he smiled and his teeth glowed red with the torches light.

"Naraku." Miroku snarled lifting his weapon.

"Coming to fight me for the honor of your family and the freedom of your people. How touching." he mocked him without ever showing how angry he really was.

Miroku didn't respond except to crouch into a battle position.

"Very well. Enough talk." Naraku stood and swept his cape off of him revealing the large jewel encrusted sword at his sword. He drew it out slowly and pointed it directly at Miroku's heart.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

check out that story guys!!!


	22. Chapter 21

****

Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!

Okay a fan said that she wants me to finish my stories before July 5th so guess what???? I think this is the second to last chapter if not the last. I really don't know. Remember, I don't plan my chapters, I just write them and what comes out comes out.

**Chapter 21**

"This way?" Kagome asked pointing down the dark tunnel.

"Yes." Kagura said staring down the hall her face expressionless but her eyes holding the desire to run down there and grab what was hers. "I can go no farther. You must go alone."

Kagome nodded and started down the tunnel without another word. It was damp and from somewhere she heard a continuous drip. The walls were green and slimy and she was using all of her concentration not to slip. Cupped in her hands was a ball of fire that was lighting her way as there were no lights.

* * *

Inuyasha threw up his sword just in time to block to red power that had reduced him to almost nothing before.

And Tetsaiga blocked it.

"Huh?" the mage said in confusion.

"Nice!" Inuyasha praised his blade as he lifted it out of the dirt where he had anchored it.

"Stupid demon!" She raised her hands and screamed, a long endless wail and her power started whipping around wildly not caring if it hit friend or foe.

Inuyasha was hidden safely behind his sword waiting with a smirk for her power to run out.

* * *

"What is that?" Junichi asked with a condescending smirk looking at her haraikostu.

"This is what I'll be killing you with." Sango said glaring at him feeling the hatred pulse through her veins.

"That hunk of junk won't be a match for this." He tapped his sword blade. "The mages made it for me. Completely invisible."

"Let's test that theory!" Sango yelled pulling back her haraikostu and slamming it against the blade.

Sparks flew but when they looked at their weapons, neither was damaged.

Junichi raised his and brought it down on the haraikostu.

Sango held it up with sturdy arms built from years of working out with sword and giant boomerangs.

"Such a simple woman." he smiled. "You fell for the oldest trick in the book." Sango started sweating from the effort but she didn't give way. "Sleep with a woman and you take away her will and she believes anything you say."

"Funny how I controlled you after that though." Sango replied.

"You mean your 'rules'? Hah!" He let out one loud laugh. "With those in place no man will take you. You should thank me. I probably gave you the only sex you'll ever have."

"Hah!" Sango said right back. "Maybe you didn't know but I've been sleeping with the future king. And he touches me in public all the time. I guess it just depends on how good the guy is in bed." She smirked and didn't mention that he did it against her will.

He snarled and twisted his sword to the side then brought his foot up and kicked her down.

"Ugh!" She grunted from the impact but she still had her weapon in hand.

* * *

Miroku's battle was fast and full of thought and tactics more than brute strength. A few test blows showed that their weapons had the same durability, as did their wielders. So it came down to intelligence and speed.

A block. A pary. A thrust. Another block. Another block. A bruise on his side he didn't realize he had gotten until he felt it sting.

Neither man was smiling now as his staff, un-cut-able, not only blocked his sword, but let it slide along it's length allowing Miroku to get close enough to punch Naraku square in the jaw.

Naraku jumped back and wiped a trail of blood from his lips.

"Very good little prince. You've gotten better."

"It's Majesty to you." Miroku said bringing up his staff to prepare for the next blow he knew was coming.

* * *

Inuyasha peeked from behind the Tetsaiga but the mage was slumped over breathing hard. All of her stolen life energy finally gone.

"Pathetic." Inuyasha scorned lifting his sword and walking foreword. She was breathing hard and glaring up at him.

"I beat you twice." she said before licking her dry lips.

"Yeah, but I beat you the last time. And that's all that matters." And he punched her crushing her skull in and sending her flying a good ten feet.

"Nice shot, Captain!" A man behind him yelled thrusting his own spear through an enemy soldier.

Speaking of spears...

Inuyasha ran off to find Miroku.

* * *

Kagome didn't know how long she had been running but she did know that the bright red light in front of her was not coming from the ball of fire in her hands.

She lept over a spike pit that was meant to trap those who walked the halls without a light and found herself in front of three earthenware jars.

"Which is hers?" she asked herself.

And more importantly how did she get it out.

"Are you looking for Kagura's heart?"

Kagome turned at the small voice.

A small albino girl was standing in the wearing very old fashioned clothing, white, with two white flowers in her white hair and a silver mirror held gently in her tiny hands.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked.

"I am called Kanna." She said her face, even her eyes, expressionless. "I am the sorceress of nothingness."

"Nothingness?" Kagome repeated.

"Kagura is my younger sister." Kanna continued.

"Younger?" Kagome repeated again in even more shock pretty sure that Kagura had been a grown woman.

"Do you wish to free her heart?" Kanna asked her face tilting to the side but showing no true curiosity.

"Why?" Kagome asked back not trusting this sister any more than she trusted the other one.

"Naraku put me here to stop such a thing. I'm afraid I cannot let you got any farther." Kanna lifted her mirror slightly until Kagome's face was reflected in it.

Suddenly she felt something being ripped from her body followed by a terrible pain. A pain so much that she fell to her knees, then flat on her face.

* * *

Sango blocked a hit from his sword with her haraikostu and a fist with her hands.

Junichi fell back panting and sweating.

Sango grinned though she was doing the same. "See Junichi, that was always your problem. You never showed your failing strength until the very end and by then it was too late. I bet you can barely move right now."

"How...*pant*...would you...*pant*...know?" he sneered.

"Junichi, Junichi, Junichi." Sango shook her head and though her breathing was labored she could still talk. "You seemed to have forgotten. I trained you. I taught you a good bit of what you know. I know your fighting style." She smirked. "And your weaknesses."

She used her haraikostu as a lift and kicked Junichi in the face and sent him back into the dirt. "And yours was always that you never knew how to pace yourself." She brought her haraikostu firmly down on his abdomen knocking him out.

She bent down and tied him up firmly not caring that the pressure from the bonds would bring him untold pain later.

Then she stood and grabbed her haraikostu and looked at the castle.

"Miroku..."

* * *

Kagome struggled to lift her head. Her vision swam and she couldn't focus on that one white dot in the see of black.

"How are you still able to move?" Kanna asked.

Kagome didn't know, but she did know she wouldn't be able to do so for very long.

She needed to think of something. She needed an idea.

_"Free my heart and I will even help you."_

It was her one shot. She lifted her hand but when she put it on the side of the jar it just sat there as she had no energy to push.

"What are you doing?" Kanna asked.

On shakey feet, Kagome stood slowly and used the jar as a stool.

"Hmm?" Kanna said.

Then she just released herself and let her body fall over tumbling the three jars over with her.

All of them shattered at they hit the floor.

* * *

Kagura gasped and put her hand to her chest where she felt her heart beating for the first time in years.

* * *

Kanna mimicked her action and let out a tiny gasp of surprise.

Kagome looked down at the jar's contents but there was nothing there. Just shards that had cut her deep as she fell on top of the crockery.

"I am...free?" Kanna said in absolute amazement.

She dropped her mirror and placed her hands on her chest as if to take in her beating heart fully.

The mirror shattered and long white tendrils shot out of the pieces and zoomed towards Kagome's chest.

She took in a large gulp of air as she felt her lost strength return to her.

* * *

Kagura was gone. Kagome looked at the empty hall but Kagura wasn't there and Kanna had disappeared ahead of her as well.

She sighed and said her thanks that at least she wasn't fighting them anymore.

"My king." she remembered and started walking slowly, as her limbs still felt weak, towards the throne room.

* * *

Miroku had his spear crossed with Naraku's sword and they were breathing hard, glaring at each other over their weapons.

Kagome pushed open the servants door at the side of the hall, the same one Kira had vanished through so many years ago when Inuyasha had discovered who she was and came upon the sight of the two men struggling to outlast the other.

"Miroku." She whispered and leaned against the wall for support.

"Kagome!" Sango ran into the room through the door opposite the one she had entered. "Miroku?" she looked at the battle in front of ehr but he seemed to have not heard her.

"Miroku!"

Kagome turned and saw Inuyasha framed in the door she had entered.

He had a long burn on the side of his face and a slice on his ribs but otherwise he was fine.

He grabbed his sword and made to move forward to help his king.

"No!" Kagome threw herself on his making him stop as his arm naturally reacted and grabbed her.

"Kagome, what are you doing? Let me go help him!" Inuyasha cried.

"I can't!" Kagome said looking at him in his eyes. "This is Miroku's battle. He has to defeat Naraku on his own!"

"But..." he looked over her head and all he saw was the struggle on Miroku's too open face.

"You can't help!" Kagome cried. "Inuyasha, don't you see? This is Miroku's fight."

"Yeah but...."

"Inuyasha, that prophecy wasn't about us!" he looked down at her in surprise. "It was about him! His prophecy! His kingdom! His fight! His destiny! We are just the weapons at his hands."

He didn't say anything but Kagome saw the battle inside himself on his face. "This is his job, Inuyasha. Each of us had a part in his prophecy. You are the guard. The one to keep him safe and train him for this moment. Mine is to heal him after this battle so he may live on. And Sango's is to love him, forever more. His is to beat Naraku and you can't interfere!"

"Okay." He said quietly and slowly sheathed his sword. "And if he loses?"

"We all die. But that is our destiny. To share his."

He nodded and hooked his arms around her waist and looked up at the battle before him.

Sango had heard every word and her hands itched to join the fight and help the man she loved, but she knew couldn't. It didn't make it any easier.

Miroku grunted and tried to push Naraku back but he wouldn't budge.

"Why don't you give up?" Naraku said. "I am a demon and my strength far surpasses yours."

"I will not give up." Miroku said determined not realizing his nose had started to bleed from the force he was exerting. "I will win!"

"Oh?" Naraku laughed. "And what makes you so sure?"

"Because I have nothing. And when you have nothing you don't have anything to lose. So I don't have to worry about defeat. Unlike you!" Miroku took a step forward making Naraku gasp in surprise.

"Impossible!" (A/N: Does anyone else notice bad guys always shout shit like this??? Sorry, I totally just killed the mood!)

"Besides that, I have an entire country of people behind me, lending me their strength and hope." Another step. "You cannot win because you have no one. No one hopes you will win."

"You think so?" Naraku smirked. "What of my children? KAGURA!" He yelled to summon her.

Nothing happened.

"KAGURA!" He tried again.

"Sorry." Kagome smiled from the corner where she leaned against Inuyasha's chest. "I already freed her. She will not come to your side. Nor will Kanna. Or whoever else's heart you had done there."

"You destroyed those jars?" Naraku asked true fear in his eyes.

"I have the scratches to prove them." Kagome held up her bleeding arms.

"No!" He looked down at his chest and discovered what he hadn't realized while in the heat of battle.

The heart, his heart, that he had hidden in the dungeon to keep him from getting killed the normal way was beating in his chest.

Miroku took advantage of his distraction but throwing his sword out of the way and bringing the end of his spear down hard upon Naraku's chest driving the holy staff directly through his heart.

"No..." he said desperately as a trail of blood leaked out of his mouth.

"I win." Miroku growled as the holy powers started dissolving his demonic body from within.

Naraku's eyes rolled back in his head and his body slipped off the staff and he hit the ground.

Dead.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Okay so two more chapters. Next is the last one!


	23. Epilogue

****

Disclaimer: NO I do not own Inuyasha. That awesome privilege belongs to Romiko Takahashi. Thank you!

Here is my very last chapter of Bewitched and I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed reading your reviews. Lol! Here yu go and I hope you continue to read me after you're done. TTFN!

**Epilogue**

The sun rose gently on a spring and flower filled world. The delicate buds released an intoxicating sent that filled the air with love and hope and the promise of life.

New buildings had been built and the pink and orange sun was cast upon freshly laid bricks and paint still vibrant.

The morning called out the early risers, older men, mothers with children, farmers, fishers, merchants preparing for the day ahead. There were smiles all around and the bird calls was broken by the occasional, "Morning."

The castle, what used to be dark and foreboding, had been returned to its former splendor. The dark bricks had been chipped away to reveal the white granite that Naraku had covered. Square archways were torn down revealing the delicate golden arches from before. The gardens had been restored and the palace had flowers and bees and butterflies for the first time in ten years. The lake on the grounds had been cleaned and new lily pads planted drawing frogs and increasing the depleted fish population.

The only soldeirs walking the streets anymore were respected and kind and helpful. The palace servants moved about with a new spring in their steps. New masters. New times. Better pay. Better lives.

The king sat upon his throne, but there was no crown on his head. Just a simple metal circle coated in gold leaf. He had had the real crown jewels melted down and sold to bring their kingdom back to what it used to be. Sango, his crowned queen who ruled this kingdom much better than him he had to admit, refused to wear elaborate gowns. They cost more money then they had and besides, she hated the things. So their peaceful kingdom had a warrior queen.

They also had a captain who adored the tiny prince and small crown princess. At 3 and 5 years old respectively, they had Inuyasha wrapped around their fingers but he had his own coming soon so his eyes had been all for his wife.

The palace witch/Head Healer was responsible for the large barrier that had been put back in place not even a full day after Miroku had reclaimed his throne. Stronger, better, larger. Kagome had been able to expel every single human, demon, and mage left in their kingdom in less then 6 months. She didn't do much combative magics now as her belly was swollen and the twins kicking away in her womb kept her magics more erratic then her emotions.

Kia and Utaro, the official heirs until the princess came of age, spent most of their time traveling around the country fixing the problems Naraku had brought.

However they were coming home today with their son who couldn't wait to get back in the palace, the half bear demon's favorite play ground.

"The ball room is ready, your majesty." a servant told Sango curtsying.

Sango, who still wasn't used to being addressed as such, thanked her and waved her away.

"Sango." Kagome walked into the room her hands folded across her large stomach.

"Yes?" she looked up at her best friend and most loyal servant.

"I wont be able to come to the ball tonight." Kagome said sitting down in the chair in front of Sango's desk.

"Oh, but why not? The entire family is coming. Even Miuro is taking time off her trip around the world to say hello." Sango protested wondering what would drive Kagome to skip the entire event.

"I would love to come, you know I would, but something will keep me away tonight."

"Well, you'll just have to reschedule it." Sango ordered with a smile. "As your queen I demand that you put it off until tomorrow at least.

Kagome bowed her head but smiled back. "Impossible."

"And why is that? No one disobeys their queen."

"Well, I'm sure no one can order babies when they can and cannot be born, even a queen."

"B...Born? Your not, you wont?" Sango jumped out of her seat and stared at Kagome's belly in wonder.

"9 months to the day." Kagome smiled.

"Well, then we have to cancel. How do you know?" Sango ran around and placed her hands on her friend's belly but it felt the same as it had yesterday.

"I know." Kagome said completely sure. "I could come down but then I would deliver them in the center of the ballroom floor."

"Oh, this is wonderful!" Sango yelled. "We have to tell Inuyasha, he'll be so excited."

"He already knows." Kagome told her with a smile. "He's already complaining about it taking so long."

"Just like him. All well. This is fabulous news! I can't wait to tell everyone."

"Neither can I but you must excuse me." Kagome stood up. "My water will break here soon and I will be in no shape to walk at all."

Sango cried in happiness as she escorted Kagome to her room where her water broke right on schedule.

The ball was in full swing downstairs and every noble was there but the king and queen and the guests of honor were missing. They had all joined in a room where a woman was screaming as she pushed two new lives into the world. Even her magic, as impulsive as it had been for 9 months, couldn't dull the pain.

And her cried of agony were punctuated twice by two tiny echoes that joined their mother's just seconds into life.

And when she had looked up as Inuyasha burst into the room to see her with the tiny bundles sleeping peacefully on her breast, the great and might Captain of the Royal Guard, fainted dead away.

So the peace and love of a kingdom torn apart years previously was built back up, slowly brick by brick and stone by stone, into the powerful, peaceful, and prosperous kingdom it had been before.

And in a training room saved for the king and his captain deep in the bowls of a castle, a blank unbreakable wall stood tall and proud and untouched by time or metal. The prophecy that had been etched deep into it for longer than anyone could remember had vanished but the wall itself was what kept the palace and their peace standing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxx

Bye-bye my dearest loves, until next I write!!!


End file.
